Chapter 5 - THE FILE HIDDEN BEHIND THE WALL
Teresa told Willa that Everett had returned to the estate unusually late the night before his accident.
He had been furious.
He went directly to his private office.
Then he called someone.
Teresa had been cleaning the hallway.
She heard only part of the conversation.
“Harold Fisk wasn't supposed to die,” Everett had said.
Then:
“Find out who altered the records.”
Willa stared at Teresa.
“Are you sure?”
Teresa nodded.
“I remember because he sounded frightened.”
“Everett Kane was frightened?”
Teresa gave a sad smile.
“Even powerful men get frightened when they realize they've trusted the wrong people.”
Everett's office was locked.
Sterling had ordered that nobody enter it.
But Teresa knew the estate's old service passages.
She showed Willa a narrow corridor behind the library that connected to a storage room beside Everett's office.
The passage smelled of dust and old wood.
Willa followed her through the darkness.
At the end stood a small door.
Teresa unlocked it with an old brass key.
“Ten minutes,” she whispered.
Willa nodded.
Everett's office was enormous.
Dark wood shelves.
Leather chairs.
A desk overlooking Lake Michigan.
On one wall hung a photograph of Everett with his father.
Both men wore black suits.
Neither smiled.
Willa moved toward the desk.
She searched drawers.
Folders.
Cabinets.
Nothing.
Then she noticed a framed photograph of a younger Everett standing beside a man she didn't recognize.
On the back, someone had written:
M. FISK — 2019.
Willa froze.
Fisk.
She turned the photograph over.
The man beside Everett was younger than Harold Fisk.
Perhaps his son.
She looked behind the frame.
A small brass key had been taped to the backing.
Willa removed it.
The key opened a narrow cabinet beside the fireplace.
Inside was a black metal box.
She opened it.
Documents.
Photographs.
A flash drive.
And a sealed envelope.
Across the front were three words.
IF I DISAPPEAR.
Willa's hands trembled.
She opened it.
The first page was a letter from Everett.
If you're reading this, something has happened to me.
I have reason to believe that money has been moving through my companies without authorization. The records lead to Sterling and several people at St. Ambrose.
Harold Fisk discovered part of the scheme while working as an outside consultant.
He died before he could give me the complete evidence.
Willa covered her mouth.
The next sentence made her knees weaken.
The nurse blamed for his death may have been framed.
Her name appeared on the following page.
WILLA HAYES.
Willa sat down.
Everett had known about her.
Before the accident.
Before the wedding.
Before Sterling found her sleeping in her car.
She stared at the letter.
Then whispered:
“Why didn't you help me?”
The room remained silent.
But the answer was beginning to take shape.
May you like
Everett had been investigating.
And somebody had stopped him.
