Chapter 13 - Emma’s Phone Had Been Waiting Two YearsThe phone was old.
No cellular service.
No cloud backup Grant knew about.
Rose used it for pictures.
Flowers.
Dogs.
Her shoes.
Ceilings.
The kinds of meaningless photographs children loved.
Michael connected the device to an isolated computer.
There were thousands of files.
Most recent.
Many taken by Rose.
Then older folders appeared.
Emma’s.
Grant stopped breathing at the sight of her name.
Videos.
Voice memos.
Photographs.
He had never opened them.
Grief had made the phone sacred.
Untouchable.
Rose had somehow unlocked it months after Emma died by entering the same simple code Emma used for everything.
Grant let her keep it.
Now Michael searched.
One hidden folder was password protected.
Title:
FOR ROSE
Grant’s throat tightened.
“What password?”
He tried Rose’s birthday.
Wrong.
Emma’s birthday.
Wrong.
Their anniversary.
Wrong.
Then Rose wandered closer.
“What are you doing?”
Grant looked at her.
“Trying to open Mommy Emma’s pictures.”
Rose pointed.
“That one needs the song.”
Grant stared.
“What song?”
She hummed four notes.
Grant almost cried.
Emma’s lullaby.
She used a phrase from it as a password for old accounts.
MoonlightFindsYou
Michael typed it.
The folder opened.
Grant covered his mouth.
Inside were seven files.
The first was a video of Emma holding two-year-old Rose.
“If you’re watching this, sweetheart, Mommy is probably being dramatic.”
She smiled.
Grant’s eyes filled instantly.
Emma looked alive.
Her hair tied back.
No fear yet.
“Your dad will tell you I overthink things.”
Grant laughed through tears.
Then Emma’s expression changed.
“But there are some things adults make too complicated.”
She looked down at toddler Rose.
“People will tell you family is blood.”
A pause.
“They’re wrong.”
Grant looked toward Margaret.
She was crying too.
“Family is who stays when staying costs something.”
Grant closed his eyes.
Emma continued.
“I recently learned something about my own family.”
She explained Charles.
Her biological father.
Her confusion.
Her decision not to let him into Rose’s life yet.
“He says he loves us.”
Emma looked directly into the camera.
“Maybe he does.”
Then:
“But love that refuses boundaries can become possession.”
Grant thought of Charles.
Perfect.
Emma had understood him immediately.
The second file contained screenshots.
Emails between Richard and unknown contacts.
The third showed financial records.
The fourth was a voice memo.
Richard’s voice.
Clear.
Emma must have secretly recorded him.
“You are looking at this emotionally.”
Emma replied, “You’re trying to merge Harrison and Voss behind Grant’s back.”
Richard laughed.
“I’m trying to save two companies from arrogant heirs.”
Grant’s jaw tightened.
Emma said, “Charles isn’t agreeing.”
“He will.”
“Grant won’t.”
“He doesn’t need to.”
Silence.
Richard continued.
“People make terrible decisions when family is threatened.”
Grant looked at Michael.
The strategy existed years ago.
The fifth file was more disturbing.
Richard speaking to someone called Katherine.
The sixth contained photographs of Richard meeting executives from Aurelius Health.
And the seventh file…
was dated the night Emma died.
Grant’s hand shook over the mouse.
He opened it.
Black screen.
Audio only.
Rain.
Emma breathing hard.
“Grant…”
His heart stopped.
“I don’t know if this will save.”
More rain.
“I’m recording because I was wrong.”
Grant leaned closer.
“Richard knows everything.”
A horn sounded in the distance.
Emma’s breathing quickened.
“He knows about Charles. He knows I found the emails.”
Grant felt tears slide down his face.
Emma continued.
“I’m driving to the police.”
Grant froze.
Not Richard.
She hadn’t been going to confront Richard.
Katherine lied.
Emma said:
“If I don’t make it, don’t trust Katherine.”
Grant stared.
Margaret gasped.
“She told Richard where I was.”
The recording continued.
Grant could barely breathe.
“And Grant…”
Emma’s voice broke.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
A vehicle roared closer.
Emma gasped.
“They’re here.”
Grant stood.
A horn.
Tires.
Then Emma screamed.
The recording violently shifted.
A crash.
Static.
Grant turned away.
Rose looked frightened.
He immediately shut the audio.
Too late.
“Was that Mommy?”
Grant crouched beside her.
“Yes.”
“Was she scared?”
He hugged her.
“Yes.”
“Did someone help?”
Grant couldn’t answer.
Michael stared at the waveform on screen.
“There’s more.”
Grant looked up.
“What?”
“After the impact.”
He put on headphones and listened.
His expression changed.
“Grant.”
“What?”
“There are voices.”
Police audio specialists enhanced the final seconds.
At first, rain.
Metal ticking.
Then footsteps.
A man’s voice.
“Is she alive?”
Another answered:
“Yes.”
Grant felt his blood turn cold.
Then the first voice said:
“Leave her.”
May you like
Grant recognized it instantly.
Richard Vale.
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