“Vanessa said you were dead.”
“I know.”
“She said everything belonged to her and Grant.”
“I know.”
“And you were going to disappear without telling me why?”
His eyes dropped to the table.
“I was afraid if I told you, they would come after you.”
A knock sounded at the front door.
Dad and I both turned.
The second knock was harder.
A man’s voice called from outside.
“Natalie? It’s Harold.”
Dad’s face changed.
Not fear. Recognition.
He stood so quickly that his chair struck the wall.
“Don’t open it,” he whispered.
I moved away from the door.
Harold knocked again.
“I know you’re in there. We need to talk about your father.”
Dad reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out a small black recorder.
He pressed a button.
Harold’s voice filled the kitchen.
“You were supposed to be unconscious by now. If you don’t sign the transfer, Vanessa will make sure Natalie loses everything too.”
The recording stopped.
My mouth went dry.
Dad placed the recorder on the table.
“I found it in my study yesterday morning.”
“What transfer?”
“The house. The accounts. The equipment yard.”
“Why would you sign them over?”
