Chapter 3 Suspicious Moves

The memory remained. It was there in Geoffrey's thoughts, in the silent hum of the corridors, in the silence of his room. "Danny, please!" his mother's frightened cries kept echoing like a reverberation. The collision. The hooded man pushing the car into the abyss. And then, the fall.

Initially, he wondered if he was remembering things incorrectly and if there was a chance he was wrong. Perhaps his grief was distorting reality and causing him to perceive conspiracies where none existed.

However, the more he considered it, the more it bothered him. One terrible mishap and his universe fell apart. His parents and his sight were gone in an instant.

But why would his mother scream his uncle's name in her last moments if it was just an accident?

Then there was Danny himself. A lawyer prying into the affairs of a science-based company. His uncle had been making business decisions without seeking his input as the heir to Smith Laboratories.

Geoffrey had convinced himself that Danny was merely filling in for the time being to maintain order. But, the sense that something was wrong only intensified with the husband and wife's mannerisms.

He got the necessary confirmation that helped make up his mind to swing to action one afternoon when Catherine paid him a visit in his room to see how he was coping with living without his parents in a new home.

She sounded too sweet as if she were talking to a frail child instead of a sixteen-year-old. "How have you been eating, darling Geoffrey?" She put a hand on his arm and grumbled, "You've lost weight."

Geoffrey forced neutrality into his voice as he answered, "Aunt Catherine, I eat just fine."

"Listen, I know you're still grieving, but it would be good for you to focus on healing," she said after hesitating. "Until you're ready, your uncle and I will be handling things at the company-"

Geoffrey's jaw tightened as he interrupted, sarcasm evident in his tone. "I didn't realize I needed someone to 'handle' things for me."

With a sigh, Catherine's tone became condescending. "You're just sixteen, sweetheart. Your father wouldn't have wanted you to worry about corporate matters while-"

"It's my legacy, Aunt Catherine. And no offense, you know nothing of what my father would want." Geoffrey shot back, a sharp edge to his words.

Catherine tensed for a fraction of a second before her warmth returned. "I understand your anger darling. Still, leave business decisions to the adults for the time being."

Geoffrey remained silent, refusing to engage in additional debate. Later that night, he toured the beautiful garden of the house, for lack of something better to do.

With a sad expression on his face, he carefully makes his way through the strange garden, aided by a walking cane. His eyes were empty and sunken with grief, seemingly containing a deep sadness. He moves cautiously through the unfamiliar landscape, his fingers grazing the flowers and leaves, his sense of touch, his guide.

Suddenly, his keen hearing picked up on his aunt's voice on the phone. Even though the conversation was far away and muffled by walls, Geoffrey could hear it. "-We need to move forward quickly before Geoffrey starts asking too many questions, he is getting inquisitive as it is. " Catherine remarked in a low, frantic tone.

Geoffrey's pulse spiked. A pause. Next came a man's voice-Danny. That made sense, as he hadn't arrived home yet.

"Relax, Cathy. He is not a threat; he is a blind child. I've got everything under control."

"You don't get it," Catherine muttered angrily. "He's not as ignorant as you believe. Already, he is grumbling about being left out in the running of the company, claiming it's his legacy."

"Then maybe we should make sure he doesn't ask anymore. We can send him somewhere far away from here using his condition as an excuse." Danny replied after a long silence.

Geoffrey's breath caught in his throat. His fingers tightened into fists. He left the garden before hearing the rest.

That night, he made a decision. With a steadying breath, he grabbed his phone and dialed the number of Lance Harrington, his father's lawyer.

After several rings, a groggy voice answered. "Geoffrey?"

Geoffrey stated, "I need to talk to you, Mr Lance," in a firm but quiet voice.

There was a pause. "It's late, son," finally came the voice on the other end.

"I know but this can't wait."

After a sigh, Lance Harrington said, "All right. What is this about? Speak."

Geoffrey gripped the phone tightly as he stated, "I want you to look into the deaths of my parents."

A heavy silence stretched between them. "Geoffrey," Lance finally said, his tone careful, "The police already ruled it an accident. There is nothing to investigate."

"Well, I don't believe that. And the case shouldn't be closed so soon on the account of an accident, should it?"

There was a long silence before Lance spoke. "I don't know what to say, Geoffrey. I believe the police did their job. If there was foul play, the case wouldn't be closed yet."

"Believe me, sir, I know what I'm saying. It wasn't an accident that happened that night."

His confident voice got Lance Harrington's interest. He asked, "Why do think it wasn't an accident."

"My mom called out Uncle Danny's name that night. Also, he and Aunt Catherine have been too interested in my inheritance. I believe they killed my parents to inherit their wealth. I'm only holding back from confronting them because I do not have hard evidence and I don't want them to kill me too."

Lance exhaled sharply. "Geoffrey...this is a huge accusation and it could be dangerous for you. You can't accuse your aunt and uncle on a whim."

"But I'm sure they did it," Geoffrey said, steel in his voice. "If the police won't investigate, then we will. That's why I'm calling you, I need your help. Use my inheritance. Use whatever you have to. I want to fight this."

A beat passed. Then another. Finally, Lance sighed. "All right. I'll see what I can find."

With that, Geoffrey hung up, his heart pounding. If Danny and Catherine thought he was helpless, they were gravely mistaken. Because Geoffrey Smith was blind, not stupid. And he was going to prove it.