Bennett closed the folder.
“We need to leave.”
I looked toward the aircraft door.
“Why?”
“Because Thomas knows the flight landed.”
Patricia stood immediately.
“He knows I'm here too.”
“Yes.”
Her face tightened.
“How?”
Bennett gave her a tired look.
“Your reservation was changed using a system Thomas had access to.”
I felt my stomach drop.
“You mean he knew about the seat change?”
“He authorized it.”
I stared at Patricia.
She shook her head.
“I didn't know that.”
“Did he tell you to put me in economy?”
“He told me to make sure you didn't reach Bennett.”
“That isn't the same thing.”
“I know.”
Bennett gathered the documents.
“Enough.”
We walked down the aircraft stairs.
The terminal was busy.
Passengers from our flight were collecting luggage.
People moved in every direction.
For a moment, it seemed impossible that anyone could know what had happened.
Then I saw him.
Thomas stood near the baggage claim entrance.
Gray suit.
Dark tie.
Leather briefcase.
The same composed expression I had seen across my father's conference table countless times.
He smiled when he saw me.
“Daniel.”
I stopped.
Bennett moved slightly in front of me.
Thomas noticed.
“Mr. Bennett.”
“Thomas.”
Patricia remained behind us.
Thomas's eyes moved toward her.
“I was wondering when you'd arrive.”
She looked at him.
“You told me this would be simple.”
“It should have been.”
Her face hardened.
“You didn't tell me about the captain.”
Thomas smiled faintly.
“I didn't know your stepson would be removed from economy.”
I looked at him.
“You arranged my ticket.”
“I adjusted a reservation.”
“You moved me from first class.”
“You were never supposed to be in first class.”
“That isn't what my father arranged.”
Thomas's smile disappeared.
For the first time, I saw something beneath his calm expression.
Not fear.
Calculation.
He looked at Bennett.
“Your father left instructions.”
“Yes.”
“Then you know what he believed.”
“I know what he suspected.”
Thomas nodded.
“That is important.”
I almost laughed.
“You're correcting my language now?”
“I'm telling you not to confuse suspicion with proof.”
Bennett stepped forward.
“We have the bank records.”
Thomas's eyes moved to him.
“Those records prove payments.”
“They prove your payments.”
“They prove consulting fees.”
“From the buyer.”
Thomas remained silent.
I watched him carefully.
He wasn't surprised.
That was what bothered me.
He had expected us to find them.
“Why aren't you denying it?” I asked.
“Because denial would be pointless.”
Patricia looked at him.
“So it's true.”
Thomas turned toward her.
“I never lied to you.”
She stared at him.
“You told me Daniel was dangerous.”
“I said he could become dangerous if he understood the structure of the companies.”
“You said he was trying to take everything.”
“He was.”
“He didn't even know what he owned.”
Thomas sighed.
“That was the problem.”
I stepped forward.
“You were afraid I'd learn.”
“I was afraid you would make decisions without understanding the consequences.”
“Convenient.”
“You think this is about money.”
“Isn't it?”
“No.”
Thomas looked directly at me.
“It is about control.”
Bennett laughed quietly.
“That sounds like something your employers would say.”
Thomas's face hardened.
“They aren't my employers.”
“You received money from them.”
“For legitimate work.”
“Work that helped them acquire my father's company.”
“They were preparing a transaction.”
“A transaction my father rejected.”
Thomas looked at me.
“Your father was going to sell.”
“No.”
“He was.”
“You know he wasn't.”
Thomas's expression changed.
“Your father was tired.”
I felt anger rise.
“You don't get to speak about him that way.”
“He was exhausted.”
“He was careful.”
“He was afraid.”
That stopped me.
Thomas continued.
“He knew someone was watching him.”
“Who?”
“I never knew.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I wasn't the person your father feared.”
I looked at Bennett.
Bennett didn't speak.
Thomas turned to Patricia.
“Tell him.”
She looked at the floor.
“Tell me what?”
“Tell him who came to the house the night before your father died.”
Patricia's face went white.
I stared at her.
“Who?”
She didn't answer.
Thomas said quietly, “Your father's last visitor.”
My heart began beating harder.
“Who was it?”
Patricia looked at me.
“You.”
I froze.
“What?”
“You were there.”
“I was asleep.”
“No.”
“I was at my apartment.”
“You came to the house.”
I shook my head.
“I remember that night.”
“Do you?”
Her voice was trembling.
“You came to see him.”
“Why would I?”
“Because he called you.”
I looked at Bennett.
He shook his head.
“I didn't know.”
Thomas stepped closer.
“Your father called you at 10:17.”
I took out my phone.
The old call history was still stored.
I searched.
There it was.
10:17 p.m.
My father's number.
I stared at it.
I had remembered the call.
But I had remembered ignoring it.
Thomas watched me.
“You spoke for eleven minutes.”
“No.”
“You did.”
“I don't remember.”
“That is because you were exhausted.”
Bennett looked sharply at Thomas.
“What are you implying?”
Thomas shook his head.
“Nothing.”
I stared at the call record.
Something was wrong.
The phone number was my father's.
But the call duration was eleven minutes.
I had no memory of the conversation.
Then Patricia said something that changed the entire picture.
“You weren't alone when you arrived.”
I looked at her.
“Who was with me?”
She swallowed.
“Thomas.”
Silence.
I turned toward him.
“You came with me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Your father requested it.”
“You told me I came alone.”
Patricia looked away.
“I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“That you would remember.”
My skin prickled.
“Remember what?”
She didn't answer.
Thomas did.
“Your father gave you something that night.”
“What?”
“A document.”
“What document?”
Thomas's face became unreadable.
“A copy of the ownership agreement.”
I stared at him.
“I already knew about the company.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“You knew you owned a company.”
“That sounds like the same thing.”
“It wasn't.”
He stepped closer.
“You didn't know what else your father transferred.”
Bennett's expression changed.
“What else?”
Thomas looked at him.
Then back at me.
“Control of the acquisition fund.”
I felt the world narrow.
The company wasn't the real asset.
It was the shield.
My father had placed control of the fund in my name.
The fund that the buyer had been trying to access.
The fund Thomas had been paid to reach.
And suddenly the entire story made sense.
My father had not hidden wealth from Patricia.
He had hidden the most important asset from everyone.
Including me.
Thomas lowered his voice.
“Your father knew that if you understood what you owned, they would come for you.”
“And you helped them.”
“I tried to stop the transaction.”
“By taking their money?”
“I needed access.”
Bennett shook his head.
“You always had access.”
Thomas looked at him.
“No.”
Then he looked at me.
“Your father gave the final authority to Daniel.”
I stared at him.
“When?”
Thomas answered quietly.
“The night he died.”
Click here to continue reading: PART 11: The Missing Document Finally Explained My Father’s Last Call, and Patricia Was Forced to Choose Between Her Brother and the Truth
Patricia Handed Me Her Luggage at Terminal 4, Certain I Was Too Poor to Object, Until One Quiet Detail Changed Everything
Part 10 of 12
