Chapter 5
Galen’s knees nearly gave out.
Marcus grabbed a chair.
Galen sat, but he barely felt it.
Celeste’s voice continued through the small recorder.
Calm.
Careful.
Alive.
“If nothing happens to me, I will destroy this recording and laugh at myself for being dramatic.”
A faint breath.
“But if something does happen, listen to everything before you decide who to trust.”
Galen covered his mouth.
Four years.
He had spent four years wishing he could hear her voice one more time.
Now he wanted the recording to stop.
Because every sentence was destroying the world he thought he understood.
“I discovered financial records through the Harbor Foundation that connect Harold Vale to bribery, fraudulent land transfers, and payments made through companies associated with Moretti Infrastructure.”
Galen glanced at Marcus.
Celeste continued.
“I do not believe Vittorio Moretti knew. In fact, I believe someone inside the company used his name and authority while he was ill.”
Galen froze.
His father had been sick during the final two years of his life.
Early-stage neurological disease.
Periods of confusion.
He kept it private.
Only family and senior executives knew.
Celeste’s voice softened.
“Galen, I know you and your father fought during that period. I know you believed he made terrible decisions. Some of those decisions may not have been his.”
Galen closed his eyes.
He remembered screaming at Vittorio.
Calling him reckless.
Accusing him of destroying decades of work.
His father had died before they fully repaired their relationship.
The old guilt returned.
Sharper now.
Celeste continued.
“Harold Vale was not acting alone.”
A pause.
“The person inside Moretti Infrastructure was Dominic Mercer.”
Galen opened his eyes.
Marcus whispered.
“No.”
Dominic Mercer.
Vittorio’s longtime chief financial officer.
Galen’s godfather.
The man who carried Vittorio’s coffin.
The man who helped Galen restructure the company after his father’s death.
The man Eira called Uncle Dom.
Galen’s hand went cold around the recorder.
Celeste spoke.
“I confronted Dominic privately because I wanted to believe there was an explanation.”
Galen stared at Ruiz.
“She confronted him?”
Ruiz raised a finger, urging him to keep listening.
“He told me I had misunderstood routine financial transfers. I pretended to believe him. Three nights later, someone entered my office.”
Celeste inhaled shakily.
“They took copies, but they did not find everything.”
Galen looked at the safe-deposit box.
“Harold Vale then contacted me.”
The recording crackled.
“He was frightened. He said Dominic was trying to erase evidence and had threatened his family. Harold claimed he wanted out.”
A longer pause.
“He gave me a ledger.”
Galen remembered the pages found at the cemetery.
“He also told me something else.”
Celeste’s voice became quieter.
“His daughter Ainsley had discovered part of the scheme.”
Galen felt his stomach drop.
“At first, Harold believed she might expose him. Instead, she asked how much the information was worth.”
Ruiz’s expression hardened.
“Ainsley wanted money.”
Celeste continued.
“She began collecting copies for herself. Harold told me Ainsley believed evidence against the Moretti family could eventually make her wealthy.”
Galen looked at Marcus.
Every moment with Ainsley suddenly felt poisonous.
The first date.
The first kiss.
The proposal.
She had not stumbled into his life.
She had chosen him.
Celeste’s voice trembled.
“I saw Ainsley outside Eira’s preschool yesterday. I confronted her. She smiled at me and said, ‘You should worry less about money and more about keeping your family together.’”
Galen gripped the edge of the table.
“I am afraid.”
The words were simple.
They crushed him.
“I have never been afraid like this before.”
Galen’s eyes burned.
“Galen, if something happens to me, please do not blame yourself.”
His face broke.
Marcus looked away.
Celeste continued.
“I know we argued. I know you think I’m exhausted and imagining things.”
Galen bowed his head.
“But you love me. I know that. And I love you.”
He pressed his fist to his mouth.
“I love Eira more than I can explain.”
A long silence.
“If I am gone, teach her that I did not leave her willingly.”
Galen’s shoulders shook.
Ruiz let him cry.
Nobody spoke.
Then Celeste’s voice returned.
“There is one more thing.”
Galen raised his head.
“Dominic knows I have evidence.”
His grief disappeared beneath sudden fear.
“He has been inside your family for decades. That makes him dangerous in a way Harold never was.”
The recording hissed.
“If he realizes what I know, he may try to make my death look accidental.”
Another pause.
“And if Ainsley ever comes near you or Eira, assume Dominic sent her—or that she is trying to get to the evidence herself.”
Galen stared at the recorder.
“She named her.”
Ruiz nodded slowly.
Celeste’s final words came through.
“Do not trust anyone just because they loved your father.”
Then the recording ended.
The silence afterward was unbearable.
Galen sat motionless.
Ruiz reached for the recorder.
“We need this logged as evidence.”
He held on for one extra second.
Then released it.
Marcus whispered.
“Dominic was at your engagement party.”
Galen looked at him.
“He introduced Ainsley to my mother.”
“He recommended the wedding venue.”
“He approved the charity sponsorship where you first met her.”
Galen stood.
The pattern was no longer hidden.
“What if Dominic arranged it?”
Ruiz nodded.
“That’s what we investigate.”
Galen pulled out his phone.
“I’m calling him.”
Ruiz grabbed his wrist.
“No.”
“He’s my godfather.”
“He is now a potential suspect connected to your wife’s death.”
“He has been in my house.”
“All the more reason not to warn him.”
Galen thought of Eira.
“Yesterday.”
“What?”
“Dominic came to the house yesterday.”
Ruiz went still.
“Why?”
“He brought a wedding gift.”
“What gift?”
Galen’s face changed.
“A music box for Eira.”
Ruiz immediately called officers.
Galen called Bianca.
She answered on the first ring.
“What is it?”
“Where is Eira?”
“With me.”
“Where?”
“At home.”
“Get out.”
Bianca’s voice sharpened.
“Galen?”
“Take Eira and leave the house now.”
“What happened?”
“Mom, do it.”
She heard the fear.
That was enough.
“I’m moving.”
“Do not touch the music box Dominic brought.”
Silence.
Then Bianca whispered.
“It’s in Eira’s room.”
Galen’s blood went cold.
“Get her out.”
The call disconnected.
Galen headed for the bank exit.
Ruiz followed.
“Police are already en route.”
“My daughter is there.”
“We’ll meet them.”
The drive felt endless.
Galen called Bianca repeatedly.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
He imagined every possible horror.
When his car turned onto the private road leading to the estate, two police cruisers were already there.
The front gate stood open.
Galen jumped out before the vehicle fully stopped.
“Eira!”
An officer blocked him.
“Sir!”
“That’s my daughter!”
“Your mother and daughter are safe.”
Galen stopped.
“Where?”
“Neighboring property.”
He almost collapsed from relief.
Then the officer added:
“But we found something in the bedroom.”
Ruiz arrived.
“What?”
The officer led them upstairs.
Eira’s room looked untouched.
Pink blanket.
Books.
Stuffed animals.
The music box sat on a shelf.
Small.
White.
Painted with silver stars.
A bomb technician had opened the bottom panel.
Inside was a tiny electronic device.
Galen stared.
“What is it?”
“Audio transmitter.”
Ruiz’s jaw tightened.
“Listening device?”
The technician nodded.
“Likely.”
Galen felt rage rise so quickly he became dizzy.
“Dominic bugged my four-year-old’s room.”
Ruiz held up a hand.
“We still need to establish who placed it.”
“He brought the box.”
“Yes.”
“He handed it to her.”
“We’ll document that.”
Galen turned away, fists clenched.
Then Raymond came into the room.
“I checked exterior cameras.”
“And?”
“Dominic arrived yesterday at 2:13.”
“We know that.”
“He didn’t leave at 2:40 like the visitor log says.”
Galen turned.
“What?”
“He moved his car down the road, then returned on foot at 3:07 through the garden entrance.”
“How did he get in?”
Raymond looked ashamed.
“His old access code still worked.”
Galen stared.
“What did he do?”
“We’re reviewing interior footage.”
“Show me.”
“Galen—”
“Show me.”
Raymond opened the security video on a tablet.
Dominic entered the upstairs hallway.
Sixty-three.
Gray hair.
Expensive suit.
A man Galen had hugged at Christmas.
He paused outside Celeste’s study.
Looked both directions.
Then entered using a small metal tool.
Galen’s stomach turned.
The camera had no view inside the study.
Nine minutes later, Dominic came out.
He was holding something.
A blue box.
The same box they found later.
Except he stopped.
Opened it.
Saw it was locked.
Then returned inside.
When he emerged again, he no longer had the box.
“He found it,” Marcus whispered.
“He couldn’t open it,” Galen said.
“And put it back.”
Raymond fast-forwarded.
Dominic then entered Eira’s room.
Stayed less than two minutes.
Placed the music box on the shelf.
Then left.
Galen’s entire body trembled.
“He was listening.”
Ruiz nodded.
“He may have wanted to know whether Eira mentioned the box.”
Galen looked at the hidden transmitter.
“Which means he knew she had seen it.”
“And Ainsley knew too.”
They exchanged a look.
The conspiracy was no longer theory.
Ruiz stepped away to call her team.
Galen went downstairs and found Bianca waiting outside the neighbor’s gate with Eira.
Eira ran toward him.
“Daddy!”
He dropped to his knees and caught her.
“You’re okay.”
She hugged his neck.
“Grandma made me leave my pancakes.”
Bianca gave him a look.
“You owe her pancakes.”
“I’ll buy every pancake in the state.”
Eira giggled weakly.
For one precious second, she sounded like a normal four-year-old.
Then she touched his face.
“Did Uncle Dom do something bad?”
Galen froze.
He glanced at Bianca.
“How did you know we were talking about Dominic?”
Eira looked confused.
“Because he called.”
“When?”
“Before Grandma came upstairs.”
Galen’s heart stopped.
“What did he say?”
“He asked if I liked the music box.”
“Did he say anything else?”
Eira nodded.
“He asked if I found Mommy’s little key.”
Galen slowly stood.
Ruiz had heard.
“When was this?”
“Today.”
“How did he call you?”
Eira pointed toward the child-safe smart speaker on her bedside table.
Galen looked at Raymond.
“Can calls come through that?”
“Approved contacts can.”
Galen had added Dominic months ago.
Ruiz asked gently, “Eira, what did you tell him?”
“I said Daddy has the key.”
Everyone went silent.
Eira’s face crumpled.
“Was I bad?”
Galen instantly crouched again.
“No. Never.”
He held her.
Ruiz looked at Marcus.
“If Dominic knows Galen has the key, he may assume the box was opened.”
“He may run,” Marcus said.
Ruiz’s phone rang.
She answered.
Her face hardened as she listened.
“When?”
A pause.
“Stop him.”
Another pause.
“Do not let that aircraft leave.”
Galen stood.
“What?”
Ruiz ended the call.
“Dominic’s private jet filed a flight plan forty minutes ago.”
“Where?”
“Cayman Islands.”
Galen’s jaw tightened.
“He’s running.”
Ruiz looked grim.
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
“The plane is still on the ground.”
“Then arrest him.”
“He isn’t at the airport.”
Galen stared.
“Where is he?”
Ruiz looked toward Eira.
Then back at Galen.
“We don’t know.”
At that exact moment, Bianca’s phone chimed.
A text message.
She looked down.
Her face drained of color.
“Galen.”
“What?”
She held out the screen.
The message came from Dominic.
May you like
One sentence.
Tell Galen to bring Celeste’s recorder to Pier 19 alone, or Ainsley dies next.
