Chương 14
I looked at Richard.
“Greg Hale was at that dinner?”
“Yes.”
“You were too.”
Richard nodded.
“And you didn’t know Preston?”
“I had met him.”
“As my husband?”
“No.”
That stung unexpectedly.
My father had stood in the same ballroom as my husband while I existed somewhere outside both their versions of the world.
Richard seemed to read something in my face.
“I did not know you were married to him until after your mother died.”
“How?”
“She left your name in the letter.”
“And then you investigated me.”
His silence answered.
“Of course you did.”
“Madison.”
“No, it’s fine.”
It was not fine.
I shifted Eli against my chest.
Pain pulled at my incision.
I welcomed it because physical pain was simple.
Ortiz turned back to Vanessa.
“You said Preston reappeared at Daniel’s car.”
“Yes.”
“He assaulted you.”
“Yes.”
“Then?”
“A truck came around the turnout.”
“What kind?”
“Pickup.”
“Did it stop?”
“No.”
“Did the driver see you?”
“I think so.”
“What did Preston do?”
“He let go.”
“Then you ran?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Toward the highway.”
“And Preston?”
“He went back to Daniel’s car.”
“Still looking for something.”
“Yes.”
“What?”
Vanessa looked at me.
“Probably the flash drive.”
Ortiz’s pen stopped again.
“What flash drive?”
“Daniel told me he had copied everything.”
Richard leaned closer.
“Everything from where?”
“Preston’s email, the insurance records Lila found, the fake medical documents, financial transfers.”
“How did Daniel get all of that?”
“Lila gave him access to what she found.”
“And the rest?”
“He hired someone.”
Ortiz frowned.
“A private investigator?”
“I think so.”
“Name?”
“Daniel never told me.”
“Where is the drive?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did Daniel have it at Ravenstone?”
“He said he did.”
“How?”
“On his keychain.”
I felt the room shift around that detail.
An object.
Small.
Portable.
Missing.
Suddenly half the day made more sense.
Preston had not returned toward the cliff only to make sure I was dead.
He had been searching for evidence.
If Daniel carried the drive, Preston needed Daniel.
If I had heard anything or recorded anything, Preston needed my phone.
Money had started the plan.
Evidence had turned it into a hunt.
Ortiz asked, “Did Preston find the drive?”
“I don’t know.”
“What about Daniel’s keys?”
“His car keys were still in the ignition when I saw Preston.”
“So the drive wasn’t attached?”
“No.”
“Maybe Daniel removed it.”
“Maybe.”
Richard’s phone rang again.
This time he answered immediately.
“Yes.”
His face tightened.
“When?”
He listened.
“Send the access logs to Detective Ortiz.”
Another pause.
“And suspend his credentials now.”
He ended the call.
“Greg Hale attempted to access Madison’s policy file twelve minutes ago.”
Ortiz stood.
“From where?”
“A hotel network near the airport.”
“Can you identify which hotel?”
“Security is working on it.”
“Do not call him.”
“I know.”
“Do not send your people there.”
Richard looked offended.
“I know.”
Ortiz was already on her phone.
She stepped into the hallway and began speaking rapidly to someone.
Evelyn pressed both hands against her mouth.
Vanessa stared at the floor.
I looked at Richard.
“Why would Hale access the file now?”
“Because something changed.”
“What?”
“He may know the claim was frozen.”
“Would he see that?”
“Yes.”
“So he knows someone noticed.”
“Yes.”
“And if he helped Preston manipulate the policy, he might run.”
Richard nodded.
“Or destroy evidence.”
Eli stirred.
His tiny face wrinkled.
Then he opened his eyes.
Dark blue for now.
Everyone told me they would change.
I wondered what else would change before he was old enough to recognize me.
I touched one finger to his cheek.
“Richard.”
“Yes?”
“If Hale is involved, does that damage your company?”
He did not pretend not to understand.
“Yes.”
“How badly?”
“That depends on what he did and who else knew.”
“And if your board finds out you concealed that I survived while investigating one of your own executives?”
His expression became guarded.
“You’re asking whether helping you could hurt me.”
“I’m asking whether protecting the company could make you choose differently later.”
Evelyn looked between us.
Vanessa did too.
Richard took several seconds before answering.
“Yes.”
I appreciated the answer because I hated it.
“That’s the first useful thing anybody has said about money today.”
He pulled the chair closer and sat.
“That’s easy to promise when you don’t know how large the crime is.”
His eyes held mine.
“Then don’t trust the promise.”
That surprised me.
“What should I trust?”
“What I do next.”
Before I could answer, Ortiz came back in.
“We have a location for Hale.”
Richard stood.
“Where?”
“A hotel beside Logan Airport.”
“Is he there?”
“Registered under his own name.”
“That’s careless.”
“Or innocent.”
Richard gave her a look.
“You believe that?”
“I believe evidence until evidence changes.”
She turned to Vanessa.
“I also need something from you.”
“What?”
“Your coat.”
Vanessa stiffened.
“Why?”
“Daniel’s blood may matter.”
She slowly unbuttoned it.
Underneath she wore a thin cream sweater torn near the collar.
Dark bruises were beginning to form along her throat.
Evelyn saw them.
Her face crumpled again.
Vanessa noticed.
“Don’t.”
Evelyn looked away.
Ortiz bagged the coat.
“An officer will take you to be examined.”
“I’m not leaving until—”
“You are.”
“I need to tell Madison the rest.”
Ortiz looked at me.
“Is there more?”
Vanessa nodded.
My exhaustion deepened.
“What?”
Her eyes moved toward Eli.
“When Preston found out you were having a boy, he changed the plan.”
I went still.
“What plan?”
“The insurance wasn’t supposed to be the end.”
Richard stepped closer.
Vanessa’s voice dropped.
“He wanted custody of the baby after you died.”
My grip tightened around Eli.
“That part I figured out.”
“No.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“You don’t understand.”
“What don’t I understand?”
“He wasn’t planning to raise him.”
The room became so quiet I could hear Eli swallowing.
“What was he planning?”
Vanessa’s face twisted.
“To use him.”
My mouth went dry.
“For what?”
“To force Richard Whitaker to pay.”
May you like
I looked at my father.
He looked just as confused as I felt.
