I recognized my father's handwriting on the envelope.

For Anna. If you are reading this, I failed to protect you.

I could barely breathe.

My Father's Voice

The bank no longer had a cassette player.

Daniel found one at a nearby electronics store.

We returned to his hotel.

Then we played the tape.

Static.

Then my father's voice.

Older.

Tired.

But unmistakable.

"Anna, if you're hearing this, I'm probably gone."

I covered my mouth.

He continued.

"I need you to know something."

There was a long pause.

"I loved you."

I started crying.

"I made mistakes. I trusted the wrong person. I thought I could fix things before they reached you."

Another pause.

"Richard will tell you that I was responsible for everything."

The tape crackled.

"That isn't true."

My father explained that he had helped Richard initially.

But he had later tried to expose him.

The money in the trust wasn't stolen.

It was money my father had legitimately earned and separated from the business before leaving.

He wanted to make sure I would have something if the business collapsed.

Then came the final sentence.

"I need you to understand why I asked Daniel to disappear."

I looked at Daniel.

My father's voice continued.

"Because Daniel is the only person Richard could use to reach you."

I froze.

Then the tape clicked.

Silence.

It wasn't over.

The recording resumed.

"Anna, if Daniel ever returns, don't trust him immediately."

My heart stopped.

I looked at Daniel.

He looked as shocked as I was.

The Betrayal

My father's voice continued.

"Daniel knows more than he has told you."

I turned toward him.

"What does that mean?"

Daniel said nothing.

The tape continued.

"I believe Daniel cares about you."

"But he has made a terrible mistake."

I stared at Daniel.

My father said that shortly before the disappearance, Daniel had discovered that Richard was planning to move money into accounts connected to a criminal organization.

Daniel had copied the evidence.

But then he did something else.

He took money.

A significant amount.

He had planned to use it to escape.

My father had discovered this.

That's why he no longer trusted Daniel completely.

I looked at Daniel.

"Is this true?"

He closed his eyes.

"Yes."

I stepped away.

"How much?"

He didn't answer.

"How much, Daniel?"

"Enough to keep me alive."

"That's not what I asked."

He finally told me.

It was a fortune.

I felt sick.

"You took stolen money?"

"I took money from Richard."

"That's not an answer."