Chapter 6
My father changed in that moment.
All the shock disappeared.
All the guilt.
All the confusion.
He became the man who had built a billion-dollar investment company from nothing.
“Marcus.”
“Already tracking the phone.”
“Police?”
“Calling.”
“Get every camera near his last location.”
Dad turned to me.
“You stay here.”
“No.”
His eyes flashed.
“Not now, Emily.”
For once, I didn't argue.
Because Daniel was my little brother.
And arguing would waste time.
Marcus's team located the last signal near an industrial corridor on the north side.
Police units were dispatched.
Dad and I followed in the SUV despite Melissa telling us not to.
Nobody could have stopped us.
Daniel was twenty-four.
He still sent me stupid memes at two in the morning.
He still called Dad when he couldn't figure out taxes.
He still kept a photograph of Mom beside his bed even though he barely remembered her.
The thought of men chasing him because of a war that began before he was born made me furious.
Dad kept calling.
No answer.
Then my phone buzzed.
A text from Daniel.
Can't talk.
I typed back.
LOCATION?
Three dots appeared.
Then vanished.
Another message.
Old tire shop. Blue sign. Railroad tracks.
Marcus leaned forward.
“I know it.”
He told the driver.
We reached the area four minutes later.
Police cars were everywhere.
An abandoned tire shop sat beside the tracks.
Blue sign.
Broken windows.
My heart pounded.
An officer stopped our SUV.
“We have a possible active threat. Stay inside.”
Dad opened the door anyway.
“Sir!”
“My son is in there.”
Marcus grabbed him.
“Thomas.”
Dad shook him off.
A gunshot sounded.
I screamed.
Officers ran toward the building.
Dad nearly broke past them.
Marcus and I held him.
Another shot.
Then shouting.
“Police! Drop it!”
A man ran from behind the building.
He made it ten yards before officers tackled him.
Another man appeared at a side door with his hands up.
“Where's Daniel?” Dad shouted.
Nobody answered.
Then someone walked out.
Daniel.
His shirt was torn.
Blood covered one side of his forehead.
But he was walking.
Dad ran.
I was right behind him.
Daniel barely had time to speak before Dad wrapped him in both arms.
My brother froze.
Dad wasn't a hugger.
At least not like that.
Then Daniel started crying.
I joined them.
For several seconds, none of us cared who was watching.
“You okay?” I asked.
Daniel nodded against Dad's shoulder.
“I think so.”
“What happened?”
“They tried to grab me.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
One officer approached.
“We need to get him checked by medics.”
Dad released him reluctantly.
As paramedics examined Daniel, police searched the men.
One carried cash.
The other had a photograph of Daniel.
On the back was his home address.
Dad saw it.
He looked like he might kill someone.
“Who hired them?”
The detective shook his head.
“They're not talking yet.”
Daniel looked at us.
“What the hell is happening?”
Dad glanced at me.
I expected him to say later.
He didn't.
“We almost financed Richard Caldwell.”
Daniel frowned.
“The developer?”
“He's been targeting our family.”
Daniel looked at my swollen face.
“What happened to you?”
I had almost forgotten.
“Richard hit me.”
My brother tried to stand.
“What?”
The paramedic pushed him down.
“Stay seated.”
“I’m going to kill him.”
Despite everything, I almost smiled.
Dad didn't.
“Get in line.”
Daniel stared at us.
Then at the police.
“This is because of some business deal?”
“No,” Dad said.
“It started before you were born.”
He told Daniel the shortest version possible.
Martin Vale.
Rebecca.
The stolen money.
Richard's connection.
Mom's investigation.
Daniel listened without interrupting.
When Dad finished, my brother looked devastated.
“Mom knew?”
“Yes.”
“And she never told us?”
“She was protecting us.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“Everyone keeps saying that tonight.”
I looked at Dad.
He heard it too.
Daniel was taken to the hospital for scans.
I went with him.
Dad stayed with police for another twenty minutes, then joined us.
By two in the morning, the hospital room was crowded with security.
Daniel had a mild concussion and stitches.
He looked awful.
Still managed to complain about the hospital coffee.
That was how I knew he'd be okay.
Then Melissa arrived.
She looked worse than all of us.
“What now?” Dad asked.
She closed the door.
“We have a problem at Bennett Capital.”
Dad stood.
“What?”
“Paul disappeared.”
I stared at her.
“Again?”
“He was supposed to stay home.”
“Police were watching him?”
“No. We hadn't established a crime.”
Dad pulled out his phone.
“Where's Rebecca?”
“Surgery.”
“And Paul?”
“His car is gone.”
Melissa placed a folder on the table.
“IT finished the emergency review.”
Dad looked at it.
“What did they find?”
“Paul downloaded internal files yesterday.”
“How many?”
“Thousands.”
My stomach tightened.
“What kind?”
“Investment committee reports. Client data. Risk memos.”
Dad whispered, “Jesus.”
“There's more.”
Of course there was.
“There was a scheduled transfer set for midnight tonight.”
“To where?”
“An external server.”
“Did it happen?”
“No. We cut access first.”
Dad exhaled.
Melissa continued.
“But the transfer package included a draft statement.”
She handed him the page.
He read it.
His face changed.
I took it.
The headline was horrifying.
WHISTLEBLOWER EVIDENCE: BENNETT CAPITAL CONCEALED DECADES OF FRAUD.
Below were accusations connecting Dad to Martin Vale's stolen funds.
Lakeview environmental fraud.
Bribery.
Document manipulation.
Almost everything Richard himself had done.
But the draft blamed Dad.
Daniel sat up.
“They were going to frame us.”
Melissa nodded.
“And send it to journalists, regulators, investors, and law enforcement at the same time.”
Dad read further.
“Using Paul's credentials.”
“Yes.”
I looked at her.
“Did Paul write this?”
“We don't know.”
“Could someone have used his account?”
“Yes.”
Dad sat.
“He called us.”
Melissa nodded.
“He warned you.”
“So maybe he isn't running.”
“Maybe.”
I looked at the document again.
There was something strange.
“Why would Richard need Paul's credentials if he already had the evidence?”
Melissa looked at me.
“Credibility.”
“No.”
I pointed at the page.
“This isn't written like Richard.”
Dad frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“Richard is arrogant. Direct. Every message we saw sounded like someone who wanted people to know he was in control.”
Daniel looked confused.
“You can tell that from emails?”
“You can tell Richard from space.”
I continued.
“This statement sounds careful. Legal. Personal.”
Melissa read it again.
“You think Rebecca wrote it.”
“I think someone who knows Dad's history did.”
Dad shook his head.
“Rebecca just got shot trying to get evidence away from Steven.”
“That doesn't mean she started innocent.”
Silence.
Melissa looked thoughtful.
“Maybe Rebecca planned to expose Thomas.”
“And then discovered Richard was behind her father's crimes,” I said.
“So she changed sides.”
Dad stared at me.
“That would explain why she kept working with Caldwell after learning the truth.”
“Maybe she wasn't working for him anymore.”
Melissa nodded.
“She was building a case.”
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
“Can someone explain why this sounds like a bad streaming show?”
Nobody laughed.
My phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A photograph appeared.
Paul.
He was sitting in a chair.
Hands bound.
Tape over his mouth.
Behind him was a concrete wall.
I showed Dad.
His face went white.
Another message.
BRING THE FLASH DRIVE OR PAUL DIES.
Melissa looked around.
“What flash drive?”
“The one Ethan gave us.”
Dad had handed it to police.
I typed.
WHO ARE YOU?
Reply came immediately.
SOMEONE THOMAS BENNETT SHOULD HAVE PAID YEARS AGO.
Dad stared at it.
“Martin had investors.”
Melissa nodded.
“Many.”
“Someone lost money.”
I looked at Dad.
“Did all of them get repaid?”
He hesitated.
That was enough.
“No.”
“How many?”
“One.”
“Who?”
Dad's face tightened.
“Arthur Dane.”
Melissa knew the name.
“The construction executive?”
Dad nodded.
Daniel looked between them.
“Why wasn't he repaid?”
“Because the missing funds couldn't be recovered.”
“How much?”
“Eight hundred thousand.”
Daniel whistled.
“In 2003?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to him?”
Dad looked uncomfortable.
“His company failed.”
I understood.
“And he blamed you.”
“Yes.”
“Is he alive?”
“No.”
Melissa looked up.
“When did he die?”
“Seven years ago.”
I stared at the message.
“Then who says you should have paid them?”
Dad's face changed.
“His family.”
“Children?”
“One son.”
“What’s his name?”
Dad whispered, “Nathan Dane.”
Melissa immediately searched.
Her eyes widened.
“Nathan Dane works for Caldwell Development.”
My stomach dropped.
“What?”
“He's vice president of acquisitions.”
Dad stood.
“Pull his personnel record.”
Melissa searched further.
Then turned the screen.
Nathan was forty.
Clean-cut.
Unremarkable.
The type of person you could pass in a hallway and forget seconds later.
That made him more frightening.
I recognized him.
“Wait.”
Dad looked at me.
“He was at the restaurant.”
“What?”
“Not table twelve.”
I closed my eyes.
“Near the bar.”
I remembered a man alone.
Watching.
He had left immediately after Richard hit me.
Melissa whispered, “He knew what was about to happen.”
I looked at Dad.
“Maybe Richard wasn't supposed to slap me.”
“No.”
“But Nathan was watching the meeting.”
Daniel frowned.
“Why?”
“To make sure the plan worked.”
My phone buzzed again.
A location.
An old riverfront construction site.
Then another message.
ONE HOUR.
NO POLICE.
BRING VALE DRIVE.
I stared at the screen.
Melissa immediately called detectives.
I looked at Dad.
“It's a trap.”
“Yes.”
“But Paul is alive.”
“For now.”
Daniel tried to stand.
“No. Absolutely not.”
Dad pointed at him.
“You are staying in that bed.”
“Like hell.”
“You have a concussion.”
“And someone kidnapped Uncle Paul.”
The word uncle hurt.
That was how close Paul had been to us.
Family without blood.
Maybe he had betrayed Dad.
Maybe not.
But he was tied to a chair because of us.
Melissa spoke.
“We don't physically have the drive.”
“Police do,” Dad said.
“We can use a copy.”
“They'll know.”
“No,” I said.
Everyone turned.
“We don't give them a copy.”
Dad frowned.
“We give them exactly what they want.”
Melissa understood first.
“A drive.”
I nodded.
“Not the drive.”
Dad looked at me.
“You want to bluff.”
“I want Nathan focused on what’s in our hands.”
“And if he checks it?”
“Then police need to move first.”
Dad stared at me.
“You're not going.”
“I’m the reason Richard knows this whole plan fell apart.”
“You're also the person they've been tracking for six months.”
“Exactly.”
Dad shook his head.
“No.”
I stepped closer.
“He asked for you and the drive.”
“Not you.”
“He doesn't know we're bringing me.”
“That isn't better.”
“Nathan watched me at the restaurant.”
Melissa looked at Dad.
“She may be useful.”
He glared at her.
“Not helping.”
She ignored him.
“If Nathan sees Emily, he may react emotionally.”
Dad turned back to me.
“I will not use my daughter as bait.”
I stared into his eyes.
“Then don't.”
May you like
I picked up my coat.
“I'll use myself.”
