Chapter 11: The Case They Buried Four Years Ago
Natalie immediately secured the photograph.
Marcus read the note again.
“Who sent this?””
“Unknown number.””
“Same number as before?””
I checked.
Different.
Laura shook her head.
“They're using multiple numbers. We need to establish whether these messages are coming from the same source.””
I looked at the archived report.
“Who approved the closure of case 19-447?””
Natalie scrolled through the file.
“Robert Hayes recommended administrative closure. The final authorization came from the division commander.””
“Who was that?””
She checked the record.
“Deputy Chief Alan Whitmore.””
I knew him.
He had retired two years earlier.
He had been at my promotion ceremony.
He had once told me that the department needed more officers with my attention to detail.
I leaned back.
“Was he involved in the financial transactions?””
“We don't know,” Natalie said.
“But we'll examine every approval.””
Marcus looked at me.
“Claire, I need you to understand something. This investigation is now separate from the assault case. You may be a witness, and your identity may have been misused. You cannot conduct any inquiries yourself.””
“I understand.””
“I'm serious.””
“I said I understand.””
He gave me a sympathetic look.
“Good.””
At 9:42 a.m., Natalie received a call from the bank.
The financial crimes team had managed to identify the original device used to authorize several transfers from the accounts registered under Emma's and my names.
The device belonged to Mercer Property Group.
But the login records revealed something else.
A second user had accessed the accounts remotely.
The username was R.Hayes.
Marcus exhaled.
“That's a significant development.””
Natalie nodded.
“It establishes an access connection, not yet who physically operated the device. We'll need the underlying records.””
I looked at the screen.
“Can you identify when he accessed my account?””
She checked.
“Repeatedly over approximately three years.””
I stared at her.
“Three years?””
“Yes.””
The realization was unbearable.
For three years, someone had been accessing an account using my identity.
And I had never known it existed.
I remembered Robert asking me once whether I had ever considered working in financial investigations full-time.
He had encouraged me to take additional training.
He had praised my ability to understand complicated financial records.
Had he been trying to prepare me for something?
Or had he simply been studying how much information I could access?
My phone rang.
This time, the caller ID displayed Robert Hayes.
Marcus motioned for me to answer, while Laura began documenting the call.
“Hello?””
“Claire.””
His voice sounded exactly as it always had.
Calm.
Measured.
Almost disappointed.
“Robert.””
“You've made a terrible mess.””
I stared at the wall.
“You were in my sister's bedroom.””
A pause.
“Your sister has been telling stories.””
“I saw the photograph.””
“Photographs can be misleading.””
“You were wearing your uniform.””
“I was there to help Daniel.””
“Help him do what?””
He sighed.
“You've always been emotional when family is involved. That's your weakness.””
My jaw tightened.
“Did you take money from Emma's account?””
Another pause.
“You don't understand the financial arrangement.””
“Then explain it.””
“Not over the phone.””
“Did you use my identity?””
“Claire, listen to me. Daniel has been protecting people for years. You have no idea how many careers could be destroyed if you keep digging.””
I looked at Marcus.
He was listening carefully.
“Are you threatening me?””
“No. I'm giving you a chance to walk away.””
“Did you know Daniel was hurting Emma?””
Silence.
Then Robert answered.
“I knew their marriage was complicated.””
“That's not what I asked.””
“Claire, sometimes people make decisions that are difficult to understand from the outside.””
I closed my eyes.
“You saw her injured.””
“I wasn't involved in what happened between them.””
“You were standing in her bedroom.””
He exhaled sharply.
“Daniel called me because there was a problem with some documents. I went there to handle it.””
“What documents?””
“I can't discuss that with you.””
“Because you're under investigation?””
His voice hardened.
“You should remember who gave you your first promotion.””
I felt something inside me break.
“You're right. I remember.””
“And I remember every mistake you've made.””
“Then perhaps you should explain why my name appears on fraudulent financial documents.””
He didn't answer.
Instead, he said:
“Ask your father about the warehouse.””
The call ended.
I stared at the screen.
Marcus looked at me.
“What warehouse?””
I turned toward Natalie.
“I don't know.””
My phone rang again.
This time, it was Mom.
“Claire, your father wants to talk to you.””
I answered.
“Dad?””
His voice sounded exhausted.
“Claire, I need to tell you something.””
“What is it?””
“Four years ago, Daniel came to me with a business proposal.””
I looked at Marcus.
“About what?””
“He wanted to purchase an old warehouse outside town. He said it would be converted into a distribution center.””
“Did you invest?””
“No. I refused.””
“Why?””
“Because the numbers didn't make sense. He was promising returns that were too high.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“What happened afterward?””
“Daniel told me he had another investor. He asked me to sign a document confirming that I had reviewed the property.””
“Did you sign it?””
“I signed something. I thought it was an acknowledgment.””
“Was Robert Hayes involved?””
Dad was silent.
Then he whispered:
“Yes.””
I closed my eyes.
“What did Robert do?””
“He came to the house with Daniel. He told me the paperwork was standard and that there was nothing to worry about.””
“Did he ask you to sign a loan guarantee?””
“No.””
“Did he explain the financial risk?””
“No.””
Dad's voice broke.
“Claire, I think they used my signature too.””
I felt sick.
“Dad, do you remember where the warehouse was?””
He gave me an address.
Marcus immediately wrote it down.
Natalie checked it against the archived case file.
Then she looked up.
“The property is connected to one of the companies in the original investigation.””
My stomach tightened.
“What happened to it?””
Natalie scrolled through the records.
“Ownership transferred three times. The last registered owner is Northbridge Consulting.””
The same company that had received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Emma's account.
I stared at the screen.
Then Dad said something that changed the entire direction of the investigation.
“Claire, there's something else. A few months after Daniel bought that warehouse, a man came to see me.””
“Who?””
“Someone from the bank.””
“What did he want?””
“He said there was a problem with the loan. He told me the property had been used as collateral without proper authorization.””
I felt my pulse quicken.
“Did you report it?””
“I tried. But Robert called me the next day.””
“What did he say?””
Dad swallowed.
“He told me the matter had already been reviewed by the department. He said if I kept making accusations, I could be investigated for fraud myself.””
I looked at Marcus.
This wasn't just a financial scheme.
Someone had used our family's identities, manipulated an investigation, and threatened the people who questioned it.
I thanked Dad and ended the call.
Natalie closed her laptop.
“We need to investigate that warehouse immediately.””
Marcus nodded.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
“Reed.””
He listened.
His face changed.
“What do you mean the building is occupied?””
A pause.
“By whom?””
He looked at me.
Then he said:
“Daniel Mercer.””
I stood.
“That's impossible. He's at the station.””
Marcus ended the call.
“Someone is using his access credentials to enter the warehouse.””
“Who?””
May you like
Marcus looked at the report.
“The security system identifies the person as Officer Claire Bennett.””
