Chapter 7: The Dead Man Who Was Still Alive
Daniel stared at Olivia's phone as though the words might disappear if he refused to believe them.
*Richard Bennett may not have died when Daniel told the family he did.*
For several seconds, he didn't speak.
Then he shook his head.
"No. That's impossible.""
Olivia adjusted the sleeping baby in her arms.
"That's what I thought.""
"My father died five years ago.""
"You attended the funeral.""
"I buried him.""
Olivia's eyes narrowed.
"Did you?""
Daniel looked at her.
The question seemed to strike somewhere deep.
He remembered the funeral.
The closed casket.
The private service.
The doctor who had signed the death certificate.
The lawyer who had explained the estate.
And the sudden transfer of responsibility for Bennett Maritime Holdings.
Everything had happened so quickly that Daniel had barely questioned it.
His father had been ill for months.
Daniel had been told the end came unexpectedly during a medical transfer overseas.
There had been no viewing.
No opportunity for family members to identify the body.
At the time, Daniel had been too consumed by grief to challenge the arrangements.
Or so he had always told himself.
"Olivia," he whispered, "what exactly have you found?""
She looked toward the glass entrance.
"I haven't found everything.""
"Who told you this?""
"The trustee.""
"Call him.""
"I already did.""
"Then call him again!""
Daniel's voice rose.
Olivia looked down at the twins.
"Lower your voice.""
He stopped.
The irony seemed to register.
A moment earlier, he had been the man telling his wife not to make a scene.
Now he was the one losing control.
His phone vibrated again.
Martin was still on the line.
"Daniel, you need to listen to me.""
Daniel pressed the phone against his ear.
"What happened to my father?""
A long silence followed.
Then Martin answered.
"I don't know everything.""
"Don't lie to me.""
"I'm not.""
"His name is on the account. Tell me why.""
Martin exhaled.
"Because the company received instructions from him two years ago.""
Daniel went pale.
"Two years?""
"Yes.""
"You're telling me my father was alive two years ago?""
"I'm telling you that someone claiming to be Richard Bennett issued instructions through a private legal representative. The signatures were verified.""
Daniel looked at Olivia.
She remained motionless.
"Why didn't you tell me?"" he demanded.
"Because I wasn't certain it was him.""
"You're the CFO!""
"And you're the managing director who authorized the transfers.""
Daniel closed his eyes.
Martin continued.
"The original trust records were amended without your knowledge. Someone has been moving money through the holding company for years.""
Daniel's voice dropped.
"Who?""
"I don't know.""
"Martin!""
"I said I don't know!""
The call disconnected.
Daniel stared at his phone.
Claire had disappeared into the crowd.
Olivia stood quietly with their children.
And the announcement above the terminal still displayed the suspension of his executive authority.
Daniel suddenly looked older.
"Olivia, we need to leave.""
She didn't move.
"Why?""
"Because this is getting dangerous.""
"For whom?""
"For all of us.""
Olivia studied his face.
"You're worried about your father.""
"I'm worried about what he might have done.""
"Or what he might know about you?""
Daniel looked away.
She didn't miss the hesitation.
"Daniel, what aren't you telling me?""
He ran a hand through his hair.
"Three months before he supposedly died, he called me.""
Olivia waited.
"He said someone was stealing from the company. He said he had evidence. He wanted me to come to his office.""
"Did you?""
Daniel nodded slowly.
"Yes.""
"What happened?""
"He showed me documents. There were transfers, shell companies, payments to people I didn't recognize.""
"Did you investigate?""
Daniel's eyes dropped.
"No.""
"Why?""
"Because he said he suspected Martin.""
Olivia's expression tightened.
Daniel continued.
"Martin was already the CFO. He had access to everything. My father told me not to trust him.""
"And you ignored him?""
"I thought he was confused. He was taking medication. He kept repeating that someone in the family was involved.""
Olivia shifted her daughter.
"Someone in the family?""
Daniel nodded.
"He said the person was using his name.""
A cold silence settled between them.
Olivia looked at the message again.
The holding company.
The false transfer.
The forged signature.
The money passing through the children's trust.
Suddenly, the story looked different.
Daniel might have been stealing.
But someone else might have been using Daniel's crimes to cover something much larger.
"Did your father give you anything?"" Olivia asked.
Daniel hesitated.
"An envelope.""
"Where is it?""
"I don't know.""
"Daniel.""
"I kept it in my office. After he died, I couldn't bring myself to open it.""
Olivia looked at him sharply.
"Your father gave you evidence of financial fraud, and you left it unopened?""
"I was grieving!""
"And now our children's money is missing.""
He lowered his head.
For a moment, Olivia felt a flicker of pity.
Then she remembered the recording.
The false signature.
The way he had looked at her and ordered her to remain silent.
Pity wasn't the same as trust.
And she wasn't going to confuse the two again.
Her phone rang.
The trustee's name appeared.
Olivia answered.
"Hello, Mr. Collins.""
A calm male voice came through.
"Mrs. Bennett, I need you to listen carefully. We've located a sealed document in your father-in-law's private archive.""
"What's in it?""
"A letter addressed to you.""
Olivia blinked.
"To me?""
"Yes. It was dated eleven days before his reported death.""
Daniel stepped closer.
"What does it say?""
Olivia raised one finger, asking him to wait.
Mr. Collins continued.
"There's also a handwritten instruction. It states that the letter should only be delivered if Daniel attempts to transfer control of the company without authorization.""
Olivia felt her heartbeat quicken.
"Why?""
The trustee paused.
Then he said something that made her look directly at Daniel.
"Because Richard believed his son would eventually do exactly that.""
Daniel stared at her.
"What did he say?""
Olivia listened as Mr. Collins delivered the final sentence.
"And Mrs. Bennett, your father-in-law specifically instructed us not to let Daniel know that the letter exists until you have read it.""
Daniel's face changed.
"Put it on speaker.""
Olivia looked at him.
"No.""
"Olivia!""
She ended the call.
Daniel stared at her.
"Why would my father leave something for you?""
Olivia looked down at the twins.
Then back at her husband.
May you like
"I think we're about to find out.""
And somewhere across the country, inside a locked archive that had remained untouched for five years, a letter bearing Richard Bennett's signature was waiting to reveal why he had chosen Olivia over his own son.
