Ethan arrived at the house twenty minutes later.
He walked through the front door carrying groceries, stopped when he saw everyone waiting in the living room, and immediately knew something was wrong.
“What happened?”
Daniel stood.
“Sit down.”
Ethan looked at Maya.
She said nothing.
That frightened him.
He placed the grocery bags on the counter.
“What's going on?”
Daniel held out the phone.
“Read it.”
Ethan took it.
His eyes moved across the screen.
Then his face went blank.
“I didn't do this.”
Maya watched him carefully.
“Your name is on the company.”
“I know.”
“You didn't know?”
“No.”
Daniel's voice hardened.
“How can your name be on a company you don't know exists?”
“I don't know.”
Maya stepped closer.
“Think carefully.”
Ethan looked at her.
“I am.”
“Did you sign anything for Victor?”
“No.”
“Adrian?”
“No.”
“Your mother?”
Ethan hesitated.
Maya noticed.
“What?”
“My mother asked me to sign something.”
Daniel stared at him.
“When?”
“About six months ago.”
“What did you sign?”
“A power of attorney.”
Maya's stomach tightened.
“For what?”
“I thought it was for property.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Mom told me it was private.”
Maya looked at Daniel.
His expression had hardened.
“Show me the document.”
“I don't have it.”
“Where is it?”
“With Mom.”
Daniel's mother entered the room.
She had heard enough.
“I can explain.”
Daniel turned.
“Then explain.”
She looked at Maya.
“I used Ethan's name because mine was already connected to the old accounts.”
Maya stared.
“Why?”
“To protect him.”
Maya almost smiled at the irony.
Everyone in this family had apparently inherited the same habit.
“Protect him from what?”
“From being connected to the company.”
“What company?”
“Evelyn's.”
Maya's heart stopped.
“You know Evelyn.”
Daniel's mother sat down.
“Yes.”
“When did you meet her?”
“After Daniel's father died.”
“Where?”
“Lisbon.”
Maya looked at Daniel.
He seemed as shocked as she was.
“Why did you go there?”
“Your mother asked me to.”
Maya's voice softened.
“She was hiding there?”
“For a time.”
“And Evelyn?”
“She was helping her.”
Maya felt the pieces shift again.
“So my mother and Evelyn were both alive after everyone thought they were dead.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did they separate?”
Daniel's mother looked at Maya.
“Because Evelyn believed someone inside the family was giving information to Adrian.”
Maya's eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
“She never told me.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“You knew all this and never told me?”
“I was afraid.”
“You were always afraid.”
“I had reasons.”
Maya raised a hand.
“Stop.”
Everyone fell silent.
She looked at Ethan.
“Did you know about Evelyn?”
“No.”
“Did you know your mother was using your name?”
“No.”
“Did you know about the account?”
“No.”
She believed him.
Not completely.
But enough.
Then the phone rang.
It was the investigator.
Maya answered.
“Hello?”
The man's voice sounded tense.
“We found the transfer source.”
“Where?”
“An account belonging to Ethan.”
Ethan stared.
“That isn't possible.”
The investigator continued.
“The money was transferred from an account opened under your identity.”
“When?”
“Six months ago.”
Ethan shook his head.
“I never opened an account.”
Maya looked at him.
“Someone stole your identity.”
Daniel's mother whispered, “No.”
Maya turned.
“What?”
The older woman looked terrified.
“I know who opened it.”
“Who?”
She didn't answer.
Ethan stepped toward her.
“Mom.”
She closed her eyes.
“Your father.”
Daniel's face went pale.
“My father is dead.”
“I know.”
“How could he open an account six months ago?”
“He couldn't.”
Maya looked at the investigator.
“Can you trace the person who opened it?”
“We're trying.”
“What do you have?”
“A video from the bank.”
Maya's pulse increased.
“Send it.”
The investigator sent a secure file.
Daniel opened it.
The footage showed a man entering the bank.
He wore a dark coat.
His face was partially hidden.
He approached the desk.
Then turned.
Maya froze.
The man was not Daniel's father.
Not Adrian.
Not Victor.
Not Robert.
It was Ethan.
Ethan stepped backward.
“I've never been there.”
Maya stared at the screen.
The man in the footage looked exactly like him.
Same height.
Same face.
Same scar above the eyebrow.
Ethan shook his head.
“I swear.”
Daniel looked at his brother.
“Then who is that?”
Nobody answered.
Maya replayed the video.
This time, she noticed something.
The man wore a watch.
Ethan never wore one.
She zoomed in.
The watch had a distinctive silver face.
Maya looked at Daniel.
“Your father's watch.”
Daniel's face changed.
“My father gave it to me.”
“Where is it?”
“At home.”
They drove there immediately.
Daniel opened the old desk.
The watch was gone.
Maya stared at the empty drawer.
Someone had taken it.
Then she noticed another object missing.
The fountain pen.
The same pen that had contained the account number.
Daniel whispered, “Someone has been inside this house.”
Maya turned.
The back door was slightly open.
No one had noticed it earlier.
She walked toward it.
On the floor was a wet footprint.
A man's shoe.
Next to it lay a folded piece of paper.
Maya picked it up.
One sentence.
STOP LOOKING FOR EVELYN.
Underneath was a name.
ROBERT.
Maya stared.
Daniel said, “He wouldn't do this.”
“Wouldn't he?”
Robert had disappeared after giving evidence.
He had known about Evelyn.
He had known about the trust.
He had access to old documents.
And now someone was using his name.
Maya called him.
The number was disconnected.
Claire tried another number.
Nothing.
Then Maya's phone buzzed.
A photograph appeared.
It showed Robert sitting inside a train station.
Alive.
The message beneath it said:
HE LIED TO YOU TOO.
Maya stared at the photograph.
Then another message arrived.
THIS TIME, DON'T TRUST THE MAN WHO SAVED YOUR MOTHER.
She looked up.
Daniel understood.
“Robert.”
Maya nodded.
But before they could leave, Daniel's mother spoke.
“Wait.”
She was holding something.
A small key.
“I found this in your father's desk years ago.”
Maya took it.
“What does it open?”
The older woman looked frightened.
“Evelyn's first safe.”
“Where is it?”
She answered softly.
“Under the house.”
Click Here to continue read next: PART11: Beneath the Old House, Maya Found the Missing Ledger and Learned Why Robert Had Been Hiding Evelyn From Everyone
The Receipt in Her Hands Revealed a Number That Made the Man Outside Forget What He Had Promised Her
Part 10 of 16
