Chapter 5 - The Old Accusation
Emily stared at Margaret as if she had spoken another language.
“My father was a mechanic.”
Margaret’s eyes filled with regret.
“After he left this estate.”
Emily looked at Daniel.
He seemed equally uncomfortable.
“You knew?”
Daniel slowly nodded.
“Some of it.”
Emily’s voice sharpened.
“How much?”
“I was sixteen.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
Daniel accepted the anger without defending himself.
“I knew your father managed security and financial deliveries for my father.”
Emily pressed her back against the wall.
Images from childhood rushed through her mind.
Her father coming home late.
Arguments behind closed doors.
Her mother crying.
Then the sudden announcement that they were moving.
Robert Carter had never explained why.
Three years later, he died when his truck left a wet highway.
Emily had been thirteen.
Margaret spoke carefully.
“A large amount of cash disappeared from one of the family companies.”
“How much?”
“Eight hundred thousand dollars.”
Emily laughed bitterly.
“My father didn’t have eight hundred dollars.”
“We eventually understood that.”
Emily’s eyes snapped toward her.
“Eventually?”
Margaret looked ashamed.
“At first, the evidence pointed to him.”
“What evidence?”
“Records.”
Emily looked at Daniel.
“Like tonight?”
Nobody answered.
That silence hurt more than anything.
Emily’s voice trembled.
“Someone planted evidence on my father.”
Margaret lowered her eyes.
“We believe so.”
“And you never told me?”
“We had no proof.”
“You let him die with everyone thinking he was a thief.”
Margaret’s face broke.
“Emily.”
“No.”
Emily stepped away.
“My entire childhood changed because of that accusation.”
Daniel moved toward her.
She raised one hand.
“Don’t.”
He stopped.
Emily looked at Margaret.
“My mother worked two jobs because nobody would hire him.”
Margaret whispered.
“I know.”
“My father stopped laughing.”
“I know.”
“He stopped coming to my school events.”
Tears filled Emily’s eyes.
“He thought people were staring at him.”
Margaret began crying.
“I know.”
Emily wiped her face angrily.
“And now Vanessa tried to do the same thing to me.”
Grant remained silent until that moment.
Then he looked toward the threatening message.
“That may not be a coincidence.”
Daniel turned.
“What are you thinking?”
Grant folded his arms.
“Seventeen years ago, someone frames Robert Carter for theft.”
He nodded toward Emily.
“Tonight, Vanessa frames Robert Carter’s daughter for theft.”
Emily felt cold.
Grant continued.
“Vanessa’s brother is connected to money being stolen from Daniel’s company.”
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“So you think the old case connects to Calder?”
“I think we should stop assuming this started with Vanessa.”
Margaret suddenly went still.
Daniel noticed.
“Mom?”
Margaret did not answer.
Her hands were shaking.
“Mom.”
She slowly looked up.
“There was someone else.”
Emily waited.
Margaret swallowed.
“When Robert was accused, another employee testified against him.”
Daniel frowned.
“Who?”
Margaret walked toward the sitting room.
She opened an old cabinet.
From the bottom drawer, she removed a leather photograph album.
She flipped through the pages.
Then stopped.
A company picnic photograph filled the page.
Margaret pointed toward a tall man standing beside Emily’s father.
Emily stared at the image.
The man was smiling.
His arm was around Robert Carter’s shoulder.
“His name was Victor Vale.”
Emily looked toward Vanessa’s photograph.
The surname hit her immediately.
Margaret nodded.
“Yes.”
May you like
She touched the old picture.
“Vanessa and Adrian’s father.”
