Chapter 9 - THE RECORDING
Kelsey refused to send the recording electronically.
She wanted protection first.
Margaret arranged for her attorney to meet us at the hospital.
Two hours later, Kelsey walked into my room wearing oversized sunglasses and carrying a white handbag.
She looked nothing like the woman who had laughed on my porch.
Her confidence was gone.
Her makeup barely hid the exhaustion beneath her eyes.
Margaret stood beside me.
Marcus remained near the window.
Kelsey sat down.
“Richard doesn’t know I’m here.”
“I assumed that.”
She removed her sunglasses.
“He froze my credit cards.”
I almost laughed.
“That’s why you came?”
Her eyes flashed.
“He emptied our joint account.”
“Now you know how it feels when someone decides your property belongs to them.”
She looked away.
For once, Kelsey had nothing clever to say.
Her attorney cleared his throat.
“My client is prepared to cooperate if prosecutors consider her cooperation during charging decisions.”
Margaret answered.
“That is between your client and the prosecutor.”
Kelsey opened her handbag and removed a small recorder.
“My phone recorded this automatically.”
She pressed play.
Richard’s voice filled the room.
The recording appeared to be from inside a car.
Kelsey asked, “What if Emily fights us?”
Richard laughed.
“She won’t.”
“She hates me.”
“She’s weak right now.”
My hands went cold.
“She lost Daniel.”
A pause.
Then my father said the words that changed everything.
“Daniel’s accident did half the work for us.”
I stopped breathing.
Kelsey’s recorded voice became uncertain.
“That sounds horrible.”
“I didn’t say I caused it.”
Richard chuckled.
“I said timing matters.”
The recording continued.
“If Emily signs the proxy, I regain the votes.”
“And the house?”
“We move her out.”
“She’s pregnant.”
“So?”
My eyes closed.
There was no shock left.
Only clarity.
The recording ended.
Marcus immediately said, “We need law enforcement.”
I looked at Kelsey.
“Was my father involved in Daniel’s accident?”
She shook her head rapidly.
“I don’t know.”
“Did he ever say he was?”
“No.”
“Then why did you record him?”
“Because he scared me.”
That answer felt real.
Margaret picked up the recorder.
“We cannot assume the collision was anything other than an accident without evidence.”
I nodded.
But another thought had already taken hold.
Daniel had been investigating Richard.
Daniel had confronted him.
Six weeks later, Daniel was dead.
And my father had described his death as useful.
May you like
I looked at Marcus.
“Get me the crash report.”
