Chapter 15 - THE PLACE WHERE IT ALL BEGANI called Dad twelve times.
Every call went to voicemail.
My hands were shaking so badly that I could barely hold the phone.
Nia immediately contacted the appropriate authorities to report the circumstances and ask for a welfare check.
Meanwhile, I called Luis.
“Have you seen my father?”
“No. What's wrong?”
“He left home with somebody. I don't know where he went.”
Luis became serious.
“Did he say anything?”
“He took the coffee tin.”
There was a pause.
“Ella, where did your father and Adrian open their first machine shop?”
I frowned.
“Somewhere near the river. Why?”
“Because your dad used to say that whenever everything went wrong, he wanted to go back to the place where they started.”
My pulse quickened.
“Is it still there?”
“The building is. It's been empty for years.”
“Do you know the address?”
Luis gave it to me.
It was on a quiet industrial street outside downtown Pittsburgh.
Nia insisted we alert the authorities to the possible location rather than rush inside.
I agreed, though every minute felt unbearable.
June also contacted Adrian.
He said he hadn't spoken with Dad that day.
Then he offered to go to the old shop.
Nia advised him to remain available and let law enforcement determine what was happening.
For once, Adrian listened.
Forty minutes later, I received a phone call.
It was Dad.
“Ella.”
I nearly collapsed with relief.
“Dad! Where are you?”
“At the old shop.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Who took you there?”
“I arranged a ride.”
My anger rose so quickly that it nearly drowned my relief.
“Dad, you scared me to death.”
“I know.”
“Why didn't you answer your phone?”
“The battery died.”
I closed my eyes.
“Who are you with?”
There was a pause.
“Malcolm.”
Everything inside me went cold.
“Dad, get away from him.”
“I'm all right.”
“No. You're not. He's dangerous.”
“Ella, listen to me.”
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
“Malcolm asked me to meet him. He said he wanted to settle things privately.”
I felt sick.
“Please tell me you didn't sign anything.”
“No.”
“Did he threaten you?”
“He tried.”
“What happened?”
Dad gave a tired sigh.
“I told him I'm not the frightened man he remembers.”
Then another voice came through the phone.
Smooth.
Controlled.
Familiar.
“Hello, Ella.”
Malcolm Pierce.
I gripped the phone.
“What have you done to my father?”
“Nothing. Thomas and I are having a conversation.”
“He has an attorney. You have no business contacting him directly about this dispute.”
Malcolm chuckled.
“Your father contacted me.”
I heard Dad say something in the background.
Then Malcolm continued.
“Your father believes there may be a way to resolve this without destroying the company.”
My stomach tightened.
“What do you want?”
“For Thomas to stop making accusations he can't prove.”
“We have documents.”
“You have fragments.”
“We have witnesses.”
“Witnesses with imperfect memories.”
“We have the original safety reports.”
Malcolm became quiet.
Then he laughed softly.
“Do you?”
I looked at Nia, who was standing beside me.
She could hear the conversation through the speaker.
“Your father is an intelligent man, Ella,” Malcolm continued. “He understands that litigation can consume years.”
“What are you offering?”
“A fair settlement.”
“How much?”
“Enough to make sure Thomas never worries about medical bills again.”
I looked at Nia.
She shook her head slightly.
I spoke carefully.
“Then send your proposal to his attorney.”
Malcolm sighed.
“Everything has become so complicated.”
“Only because you made it complicated.”
His voice hardened.
“Be careful what you accuse people of.”
I felt my anger surge.
“Then stop giving me reasons.”
Dad spoke again.
“Ella, I need you to hear something.”
“I'm listening.”
“I came here because Malcolm said there were still records in the old shop.”
I blinked.
“What records?”
“The original company ledgers.”
Malcolm interrupted.
“Thomas, that's enough.”
Dad continued.
“Before we moved to Riverbend, Adrian and I kept the early stock records here. Malcolm says he found them.”
My heart began pounding.
“Are they there?”
“Yes.”
“Have you seen them?”
“Not yet.”
Then I heard a chair scrape across the floor.
Dad's breathing changed.
“Dad?”
He didn't answer immediately.
“Dad, are you okay?”
“I'm fine.”
But his voice sounded strained.
Malcolm spoke.
“Thomas, sit down.”
I felt panic rise.
“Dad!”
Then I heard my father's cane strike the floor.
A loud metallic sound followed.
The phone went silent.
I screamed his name.
Nia was already calling for emergency assistance.
By the time we reached the old shop, an ambulance stood outside.
Police officers were speaking with Malcolm Pierce.
He looked immaculate.
As though nothing unusual had happened.
I rushed toward the ambulance.
A paramedic stopped me gently.
“Are you his daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Your father had an episode of chest pain and dizziness. He's conscious, but we need to take him to the hospital for evaluation.”
I climbed into the ambulance.
Dad lay on the stretcher, pale and exhausted.
His eyes opened when he heard me.
“Ella.”
I took his hand.
“You scared me.”
He gave a weak smile.
“I'm sorry.”
I shook my head.
“Don't apologize. Just stay with me.”
He looked toward the ambulance doors.
Then his fingers tightened around mine.
“The ledger,” he whispered.
“What?”
“Malcolm showed me the ledger.”
“Dad, don't worry about that now.”
He shook his head.
“You need to know.”
“Please. We can talk later.”
His breathing became uneven.
He looked directly at me.
“There was another owner.”
I froze.
“What?”
“Before Malcolm came into the company.”
I leaned closer.
“Who?”
Dad's eyes filled with tears.
“A person Adrian and I promised we'd never forget.”
The paramedic adjusted a monitor.
“Mr. Reed, I need you to rest.”
Dad gripped my hand.
“Ella, the first shares weren't just mine and Adrian's.”
My heart pounded.
“Whose were they?”
His eyes closed briefly.
Then he whispered:
“The workers.”
A long alarm sounded from the cardiac monitor.
The paramedic moved quickly.
“Sir, stay with me.”
I stared at my father's face.
“Dad?”
The ambulance accelerated.
“Dad, please!”
May you like
And for the first time since this nightmare began, I stopped caring about the millions.
I only wanted my father to open his eyes.
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