The Man In The Old Photo
Chapter 14 - The Man In The Old Photo
The hidden card contained video.
Not clear like modern footage, but clear enough. A garage bay twelve years earlier. Michael Whitaker alive, laughing, walking around the sedan. Daniel Reed beside him, checking the custom key fob. Then a later clip: a man entering after hours.
Martin Price.
Evan’s father.
The old executive moved with confidence, using an access card to reach the sedan’s system. He connected a device beneath the dash. He removed a module. He placed something else in its place.
The technician paused the video before anyone spoke.
Arthur sat down slowly.
Evan looked sick.
Noah stared at the frozen image of Martin Price.
“Why?” he asked.
Arthur’s voice was rough. “Michael had discovered money being moved through supplier contracts. He was going to expose Martin.”
Noah looked at Evan. “And my dad?”
“Daniel must have found the altered module after the crash,” Arthur said. “He hid the proof before Martin could destroy it.”
Evan shook his head. “I didn’t know all of it.”
Arthur looked at him sharply. “All?”
Evan realized the word had betrayed him.
Noah stepped forward. “What did you know?”
Evan’s face crumpled under fear.
“I knew Daniel didn’t steal the car,” he whispered. “My father said he was dangerous. He said if Daniel came back, everything would collapse.”
Arthur’s hands curled into fists.
“So when his son came here with the key,” Arthur said, “you put him on the floor.”
Evan had no answer.
May you like
The showroom lights hummed overhead.
The black sedan sat unmoving, but it had finally spoken.
