Chapter 7: The Betrayal Inside the Family
“He claims someone inside the Carter family helped him arrange the meeting with Sarah.””
Detective Laura Bennett's words seemed to suck all the air out of the dining room.
Daniel looked at his mother.
Evelyn stood beside the staircase, one hand gripping the banister. Her silver hair had become slightly disheveled, and her face was almost colorless.
“Mother?”” Daniel whispered.
Evelyn didn't answer.
Vanessa, however, suddenly began laughing.
It wasn't a happy laugh.
It was the desperate laughter of someone who had just realized the worst possible truth might save her from an even worse accusation.
“Go ahead, Daniel,” Vanessa said.
“Ask your precious mother what she was doing with Michael Grant.””
Daniel turned sharply.
“What are you talking about?””
Vanessa pointed toward Evelyn.
“She knew him. She knew everything. You think she spent all those years investigating me because she wanted to protect Ethan? Maybe she was trying to protect herself!””
Evelyn straightened.
“Be careful, Vanessa.””
“Or what? You'll tell another story?””
Detective Bennett raised her hand.
“Everyone needs to calm down. Mr. Carter, I need to speak with your mother.””
Daniel stepped between them.
“Why would my mother be involved?””
The detective opened her folder.
“Michael Grant claims he received information about Sarah's whereabouts from someone named Evelyn Carter.””
Daniel looked at his mother.
“Is that true?””
Evelyn's lips trembled.
“Yes.””
Daniel took a step backward.
“What?””
She lowered herself into a chair.
“I knew Michael.””
Vanessa folded her arms.
“Tell him everything.””
Evelyn looked directly at Daniel.
“Six years ago, Sarah called me. She was frightened. She told me someone had been taking money from Ethan's account. She believed Vanessa was involved, but she didn't have enough proof.””
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
“Why didn't she call me?””
“Because she was afraid you wouldn't believe her.””
“Why wouldn't I believe my own wife?””
Evelyn looked down.
“Because Vanessa had already convinced you that Sarah was becoming emotionally unstable after Ethan was born.””
Daniel froze.
He remembered.
He remembered Vanessa mentioning that Sarah had been having anxiety attacks. He remembered her suggesting that Sarah was struggling with motherhood.
He had dismissed those comments at the time.
Now they sounded different.
Evelyn continued.
“Sarah asked me to arrange a meeting with Michael. She believed he might admit what he had done if he thought he was speaking to someone who could negotiate.””
Daniel stared.
“So you arranged the meeting?””
“Yes.””
“And Michael followed her car?””
“I didn't know he would.””
Detective Bennett stepped closer.
“Mrs. Carter, did you tell Michael where Sarah would be?””
Evelyn nodded slowly.
“I did.””
Daniel gripped the back of a chair.
“Mother, what have you done?””
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“I thought I was helping Sarah.””
“Did you know Michael was dangerous?””
“No.””
Vanessa interrupted.
“She knew enough to stay quiet afterward.””
Evelyn turned toward her.
“You have no right to speak about silence.””
Vanessa smiled bitterly.
“You were there when Sarah died. You knew what happened, and you let Daniel bury his wife without telling him the truth.””
Daniel looked at his mother.
“Is that true?””
Evelyn began crying.
“I didn't know Sarah was going to die. I swear to you.””
“Then why didn't you tell me about the meeting?””
“Because Michael called me the following morning.””
Daniel stared.
“What did he say?””
Evelyn wiped her cheeks.
“He told me Sarah had been in an accident. Then he threatened me. He said if I told anyone about the meeting, he would release documents that made it appear I had helped him steal from Sarah.””
Detective Bennett took notes.
“Did you receive those documents?””
“Yes. He sent them to me.””
“Do you still have them?””
Evelyn nodded.
“They're in a locked drawer in my bedroom.””
Vanessa suddenly stopped smiling.
Detective Bennett noticed.
“Mrs. Carter, why does that concern you?””
Vanessa looked away.
Daniel turned toward her.
“What do you know about those documents?””
“Nothing.””
“Stop lying!””
Detective Bennett stepped between them.
“Mr. Carter, please.””
She turned to Evelyn.
“Can you retrieve the documents?””
Evelyn nodded and slowly stood.
But before she could leave, Daniel caught her hand.
“Mother, I need to know one thing. Did you ever suspect Vanessa had something to do with Sarah's death?””
Evelyn looked at him for a long moment.
“Yes.””
Daniel's eyes filled.
“And you still let me marry her?””
“I tried to stop you.””
“You attended our wedding!””
“Because I was afraid that if I told you what I suspected without proof, Vanessa would destroy the evidence and disappear with Ethan's inheritance.””
Daniel pulled his hand away.
“You let my son grow up with someone you suspected was involved in his mother's death.””
Evelyn began sobbing.
“I thought I could protect him by staying close.””
Daniel turned away.
Detective Bennett gently escorted Evelyn upstairs.
Vanessa watched them disappear.
Then she looked at Daniel.
“Now you see? Your family has been lying to you from the beginning.””
Daniel didn't respond.
Vanessa approached him.
“We can still fix this. We can tell the police your mother arranged the meeting. We can explain that Michael was responsible. You don't need to destroy our marriage.””
Daniel stared at her.
“Do you hear yourself?””
“What?””
“You're still trying to use someone else as a shield.””
She grabbed his arm.
“Daniel, please. Think about Madison and Tyler.””
He gently removed her hand.
“Your children deserve better than what we've shown them tonight.””
Vanessa's expression hardened.
“Then you're choosing Ethan over them?””
“I'm choosing the truth.””
At that moment, footsteps sounded on the staircase.
Madison appeared, holding a small cardboard box.
“Dad?””
Daniel turned.
“What are you doing?””
Madison looked toward her mother.
“I found something in her bedroom.””
Vanessa's face changed.
“Madison, go upstairs!””
The teenager ignored her.
“I found a second phone. There are messages on it.””
Vanessa rushed toward her.
“Give me that!””
Madison stepped backward.
“No!””
Detective Bennett returned to the dining room just in time to see the confrontation.
“What's happening?””
Madison handed her the phone.
“It's Mom's. I saw a message from someone called Michael.””
Vanessa began shaking her head.
“She's confused. She doesn't understand what she's looking at.””
Detective Bennett examined the screen.
Then she looked at Daniel.
“Mr. Carter, I think you need to see this.””
The last message was dated just three days earlier.
It read:
*The boy is becoming a problem. Once the trust is transferred, we can finally finish what we started.*
Daniel felt his blood turn cold.
He looked at Vanessa.
“Finish what you started?””
She said nothing.
The detective scrolled further.
There was another message.
It contained an address.
And beneath it was a photograph of Ethan's school.
Daniel looked up.
“Why does Michael have my son's school information?””
Vanessa's face went completely white.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“Because he's coming for Ethan.””
