Chapter 4 - THE PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE PAST
My father hated photographs.
Victor Graves believed cameras created evidence.
He avoided them whenever possible.
Yet in Annie Carter's hand was a photograph of him smiling.
Actually smiling.
I stared at it.
"Where did you get this?"
"From my grandfather's things."
"What's his name?"
"Henry Carter."
My heart stopped.
Henry Carter.
I hadn't heard that name in almost twenty years.
My father used to mention him when I was a child.
A brilliant mechanical engineer.
A man who could repair anything.
A man Victor called his closest friend.
Then Henry disappeared from our lives.
I remembered asking my father about him once.
Victor's response had been cold.
Some men forget where loyalty belongs.
I never asked again.
"Your grandfather worked with my father," I said.
Annie nodded.
"Mom told me they built things together."
"What things?"
"Warehouse equipment. Security systems. Mechanical parts."
I studied the photograph.
Henry stood with one hand resting on Victor's shoulder.
They looked like brothers.
"What happened to him?"
Annie's smile vanished.
"He died when I was four."
"I'm sorry."
She nodded.
"Mom says he worked himself too hard."
I looked toward Rebecca.
Something about this was wrong.
My father had spent years blaming Henry Carter for a business betrayal.
But the photograph showed friendship.
And Annie's employment file had been created using Victor's private authorization.
"Annie, does your mother know you work here?"
She hesitated.
"Yes."
"What did she say?"
"She wasn't happy."
"Why?"
"She said the Graves family had caused enough trouble."
I felt a chill.
"Did she explain?"
"No."
Annie looked down.
"Mom doesn't like talking about Grandpa's old business."
I nodded slowly.
"What's your mother's name?"
"Laura Carter."
I froze.
Laura.
A memory surfaced.
I was nineteen, standing in my father's study.
A young woman was arguing with him.
She was crying.
You promised Henry you would protect us.
Victor had slammed his hand against the desk.
Get out of my house.
I remembered the woman's face.
Her dark curls.
Her frightened eyes.
Laura Carter.
Annie's mother.
I stared at Annie.
"Your mother came to this house once."
Her eyes widened.
"She did?"
"Years ago."
"Why?"
I didn't know.
Or perhaps I had spent years refusing to remember.
After Annie left, I asked Rebecca to find every document connected to Henry Carter.
Three hours later, she returned.
Her expression was grim.
"Henry Carter and Victor Graves jointly owned a mechanical engineering company twenty-two years ago."
I looked up.
"What company?"
"Graves-Carter Technologies."
I frowned.
"I've never heard of it."
"That's because it was dissolved."
"Why?"
Rebecca opened another document.
"Henry transferred his shares to Victor shortly before his death."
My stomach tightened.
"How much were they worth?"
"At the time, approximately twelve million dollars."
I stared.
"And now?"
Rebecca took a breath.
"The patents associated with that company generate significant licensing revenue."
"How much?"
"Last year alone, seventeen million."
I stood.
"Who receives it?"
Rebecca looked at me.
"The Graves family."
I felt sick.
"All of it?"
She nodded.
Then she showed me a second document.
Henry Carter's original ownership agreement.
A clause had been highlighted.
In the event of either founder's death, designated descendants retain equal beneficial rights to all existing patents.
I looked up slowly.
"Annie."
Rebecca nodded.
"Based on this agreement, Annie Carter may have inherited rights worth millions."
May you like
Then she revealed the worst part.
"Patricia knew."
