Chapter 6 - The Dead Man’s Voice
Emily replayed the audio four times.
Each time, Jonathan Hayes said the same impossible sentence.
Leave my daughter out of it.
“My father died twelve years ago,” Emily said.
Paul nodded. “That recording is time-stamped six weeks ago.”
“Time stamps can be altered.”
“So can voices,” Margaret said.
Emily looked at her. “You think it’s fake?”
“I think someone wants you to believe your father is alive, corrupt, or both.”
Noah leaned over the waveform. “Daniel would use an AI voice if it bought him time.”
Emily almost laughed from sheer anger. “He can barely reset the router.”
“Daniel hires people.”
Margaret slid a legal pad toward Emily. “Your acceleration request automatically froze three credit facilities. That gives us twenty-four hours before Carter Construction can petition for emergency relief.”
“So he gets a judge to stop me?”
“He’ll try.”
Emily’s phone rang again.
Daniel.
This time she answered.
“What did you do?” he snapped.
“Good morning.”
“Emily, three lenders just suspended us.”
“Us?”
“My company.”
“Then say your company.”
There was a pause.
“Did you access Vance & Hayes?”
“Why would I have access?”
“Don’t play games.”
Emily smiled without humor. “Five hundred a month. Invoices come to you.”
His breathing changed.
“You pressed something.”
“You sound nervous.”
“Come home.”
“No.”
“Emily.”
“No.”
His voice softened, which frightened her more than the shouting.
“Sweetheart, there are things you don’t understand.”
“Then explain Noah.”
Silence.
Daniel finally said, “He came to you?”
Emily looked at Noah.
“You told me you hadn’t spoken to him in six years.”
“He’s unstable.”
“Noah says you used him.”
“He hates me.”
“So do a growing number of bankers.”
Daniel swore under his breath.
Then he said, very calmly, “Ask Margaret why your father’s body was never identified by you.”
Emily stopped breathing.
Daniel hung up.
She turned to her aunt.
Margaret had gone white.
Emily’s voice barely came out.
“What does he mean?”
May you like
Margaret closed her eyes.
And Emily knew before she answered that the worst secret in the room was not Daniel’s.
