Chapter 5
The Secret My Father Took to His Grave
I stared at Uncle Raymond.
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
My father had been dead for twenty years.
He was the man I'd spent my entire life trying to make proud.
And Raymond had just dragged his name into a conspiracy against my grandmother.
"What did you say?"
Raymond looked toward the officers.
"I need to speak to Marcus privately."
Arthur shook his head.
"That's not happening."
Raymond's jaw tightened.
"This is family business."
I stepped forward.
"You stopped being family when you plotted against Grandma."
He flinched.
"Marcus, please."
I held up the email.
"You wanted her gone."
Raymond lowered his eyes.
"I wanted her removed from the trust."
"By murder?"
"No!"
His voice cracked.
"I never asked Nia to hurt her."
I stared at him.
"But you knew she was dangerous."
He said nothing.
That silence told me enough.
One officer stepped closer.
"Mr. Williams, we're going to need you to remain here while we verify some information."
Raymond looked trapped.
Then he sat down.
I opened the folder again.
"Tell me what you meant about my father."
Raymond swallowed.
For a moment, he looked older than his fifty-eight years.
"Your father and I started a business together before you were born."
I frowned.
"I know."
"They borrowed money to expand."
I stared.
"From whom?"
Raymond hesitated.
"Private investors."
I folded my arms.
"And?"
"The business failed."
I shook my head.
"That doesn't explain anything."
Raymond looked at me.
"Your father used part of the family trust as collateral."
My stomach tightened.
"Grandpa would never have allowed that."
"He didn't know."
I felt cold.
Raymond continued.
"Your father signed documents he shouldn't have signed."
I stared at him.
"You're lying."
His eyes filled.
"I wish I were."
I looked toward Arthur.
He remained silent.
Raymond leaned forward.
"After your parents died, the debt became my responsibility."
I shook my head.
"Why?"
"Because I signed the loan documents too."
I felt sick.
"And Grandma?"
"She discovered everything years later."
I stared at the folder.
The forged signatures.
The missing money.
The attempted trust amendment.
Suddenly, Raymond's motive became clearer.
But his explanation still didn't fit.
"If the debt was real, why didn't you tell me?"
Raymond looked away.
"Because I couldn't."
"Why?"
He swallowed.
"Because the lenders weren't ordinary investors."
My stomach tightened.
"Who were they?"
Raymond hesitated.
Then whispered, "People who don't forgive debts."
Arthur stepped forward.
"Names."
Raymond shook his head.
"I can't."
I stared at him.
"You were willing to sacrifice Grandma to protect yourself."
He covered his face.
"I was desperate."
My anger exploded.
"She raised me!"
Raymond began crying.
"I know."
"She raised you too!"
He nodded.
"I know."
I pointed toward the folder.
"And you tried to take everything she had."
Raymond whispered, "I never wanted anyone hurt."
I laughed bitterly.
"You hired Nia to manipulate me!"
His head snapped up.
"I didn't hire her."
I froze.
"What?"
Raymond looked at me.
"Nia approached me."
My stomach twisted.
"Why?"
"She knew about the trust."
"How?"
Raymond hesitated.
"Her father."
I stared.
"Leonard Carter?"
He nodded.
"Leonard was one of the investors."
My blood ran cold.
Nia's father.
The wealthy businessman who had insisted on paying for our wedding.
The man who'd called me son.
The man who'd promised to help expand my company.
He was connected to the debt.
I stepped backward.
"How long?"
Raymond looked at me.
"Years."
I felt sick.
"Did Nia know?"
He nodded slowly.
"She knew before she met you."
The words struck me like a punch.
I grabbed the edge of the dresser.
Arthur caught my shoulder.
"Marcus."
I shook my head.
"No."
Raymond's voice trembled.
"Leonard wanted control of the trust."
I looked up.
"Why?"
"Because some of the properties have become extremely valuable."
I stared.
Grandma owned land near a major commercial development.
Property developers had been contacting us for months.
I had refused to sell because Grandma loved the land.
Now I understood.
Leonard wanted the properties.
Nia wanted access.
Raymond wanted relief from his debts.
And Grandma stood in their way.
I felt tears burning my eyes.
"Was the wedding part of the plan?"
Raymond lowered his head.
"Yes."
The room seemed to tilt.
I thought of Nia's smile.
Our first date.
Her laughter.
The way she'd held my hand when I talked about my parents.
Every memory suddenly felt poisoned.
I whispered, "She never loved me."
Raymond looked at me.
"I don't know."
I shook my head.
"Don't."
My voice broke.
"Don't try to make this better."
Arthur stepped closer.
"Marcus, we should let the investigators handle the rest."
I nodded.
But I couldn't stop staring at Raymond.
My uncle.
My father's brother.
A man who had betrayed everything our family stood for.
Then Raymond looked at me.
"There's something else."
I felt exhausted.
"What?"
He swallowed.
"Leonard has been searching for a document your grandmother kept."
My stomach tightened.
"What document?"
"A recording."
I frowned.
"Of what?"
Raymond looked toward the folder.
"Your father admitting what happened with the original loan."
I stared.
"Where is it?"
Raymond shook his head.
"I don't know."
I looked around Grandma's bedroom.
The old photographs.
The Bible.
The jewelry box.
Then I remembered something.
Grandma always kept a small cassette recorder in her nightstand.
She used it to record family stories.
I opened the drawer.
The recorder was there.
Beneath it sat a labeled cassette.
FOR MARCUS.
My heart pounded.
I lifted it.
Raymond's face drained of color.
"Where did you find that?"
I looked at him.
"In Grandma's drawer."
He took one step forward.
Arthur blocked him.
"Stay back."
I stared at the cassette.
Then pressed play.
Static filled the room.
Then I heard a familiar voice.
My father's voice.
"Marcus, if you're hearing this, there's something you need to know about Raymond."
I stopped breathing.
The room went silent.
May you like
My father had left me a message.
And somehow, the truth about everything was waiting inside it.
