Chapter 6: My Attorney's Secret Recording
Richard's office was on the twenty-first floor of a glass building overlooking downtown Atlanta.
I arrived with Daniel and Patricia.
I had also made copies of every document and placed the originals in a secure location.
Richard was waiting near the conference room.
He looked surprised when he saw the two people walking behind me.
"I asked you to come alone.""
"And I decided not to.""
He stared at Patricia.
"Who is she?""
"An independent forensic accountant.""
Richard's jaw tightened.
"Marcus, this is a confidential legal matter.""
"Then let's discuss the forty-thousand-dollar payment.""
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Richard opened the conference room door.
"Come inside.""
The room smelled of coffee and expensive furniture polish.
A large screen covered one wall. Legal files were arranged neatly across the table.
Richard closed the door.
"Sit down.""
I remained standing.
"Did you receive money from Vanessa?""
Richard exhaled.
"Not directly.""
"Did you receive two thousand dollars from an account connected to her?""
He looked at Patricia.
She placed a printed transaction record on the table.
Richard studied it.
Then he slowly sat down.
"I can explain.""
"Please do.""
He folded his hands.
"Several months ago, Thomas contacted me. He said you were having financial difficulties and that Vanessa was concerned about Ava's safety.""
"That doesn't explain the money.""
"He asked me to review some financial documents.""
"Which documents?""
Richard hesitated.
"The custody preparation materials.""
I stared at him.
"You reviewed the false allegations?""
"I reviewed documents. I did not create them.""
"Did you know Vanessa was coaching Ava?""
"No.""
"Did you know Thomas had paid forty thousand dollars to influence the custody case?""
Richard rubbed his forehead.
"I didn't know the full arrangement.""
Patricia spoke.
"Then why did you receive the payment?""
Richard looked at her.
"That payment was for consulting work.""
"What work?""
"Reviewing financial disclosures.""
"On whose behalf?""
He didn't answer.
I stepped closer to the table.
"You were my attorney. You were supposed to protect me.""
"I have protected you, Marcus.""
"By keeping information from me?""
Richard's voice rose.
"Do you understand how difficult your case has been? Your ex-wife made serious allegations. The court was already suspicious. I had to make strategic decisions.""
"Did you know about the forged complaint?""
"No.""
"Did you know about the eighty-five thousand dollars?""
He looked down.
That was answer enough.
Daniel suddenly placed another sheet on the table.
"Then explain this.""
It was a printed email.
The sender was Richard.
The recipient was Thomas.
The subject line read: Custody Strategy.
The message contained only three sentences.
The hearing must proceed before Marcus discovers the financial transfers. Once temporary custody is granted, we can negotiate the business settlement from a position of strength.
I read it twice.
Then I looked at Richard.
"Tell me this is fake.""
He didn't speak.
Patricia examined the document.
"Do you dispute sending this email?""
Richard closed his eyes.
"No.""
Daniel took a step forward.
"You helped them.""
Richard suddenly stood.
"I helped prevent this situation from becoming worse!""
I laughed bitterly.
"Worse for whom?""
He pointed at me.
"You don't understand what Thomas was planning. He wanted the company, yes. Vanessa wanted custody, yes.
But there were other financial liabilities involved. If those transfers became public, the entire company could have collapsed.""
"So you helped hide them?""
"I was trying to negotiate a settlement.""
"With my money?""
Richard slammed his palm against the table.
"Your brother told me he would repay everything!""
The room fell silent.
Then I asked the question that mattered most.
"And Ava?""
Richard looked away.
"I never wanted the child involved.""
"Yet you allowed her mother to teach her to fear me.""
"I didn't know about that.""
"You're lying.""
He looked at me.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then he reached into his briefcase.
"I have something you need to hear.""
He removed a small digital recorder.
Patricia immediately raised an eyebrow.
"Where did that come from?""
Richard pressed a button.
A woman's voice filled the room.
Vanessa.
"Once the judge believes Marcus is dangerous, we won't have to worry about him getting unsupervised access.""
Then came Thomas's voice.
"And the company?""
"Once he loses custody, he'll do whatever we tell him to.""
Richard's voice followed.
"You're both assuming the judge will accept the allegations.""
Thomas laughed.
"She doesn't have to believe everything. She just needs enough doubt to keep him away from Ava.""
I felt my hands go cold.
The recording continued.
Vanessa spoke again.
"What about the eighty-five thousand?""
Thomas answered.
"That's already handled.""
"And the complaint?""
Richard's voice came through.
"I'll make sure the paperwork is filed.""
The recording stopped.
I stared at the device.
"Where did you get this?""
Richard swallowed.
"Thomas recorded the conversation. He sent it to me three weeks ago.""
"Why?""
"Because he wanted proof that Vanessa had agreed to cooperate with the financial settlement.""
Patricia leaned forward.
"Do you have the original recording file?""
"Yes.""
"Was it edited?""
"Not to my knowledge.""
She nodded.
"We'll need to preserve it and verify its authenticity.""
I looked at Richard.
"Why are you giving this to me now?""
He rubbed his face.
"Because Thomas has stopped answering my calls. Vanessa has started blaming me for everything. And yesterday, someone broke into my office.""
Daniel looked alarmed.
"Did they take anything?""
Richard nodded.
"A folder containing the original financial agreements.""
My stomach tightened.
"Who has the originals?""
Richard stared at me.
"Thomas.""
Before anyone could respond, his office phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
Then his face changed.
"Don't answer that," I said.
He picked it up anyway.
"Hello?""
A man's voice came through the speaker.
I recognized it immediately.
Thomas.
"Richard, I need you to tell Marcus something.""
Richard looked at me.
"What?""
Thomas laughed.
"Tell my little brother that if he wants to see his daughter again, he needs to stop digging.""
I stepped toward the phone.
"Thomas, I'm here.""
Silence.
Then my brother spoke.
"Good. Saves me a call.""
"What do you want?""
"I want the original bank records.""
"Why?""
"Because those records belong to me.""
I clenched my jaw.
"You stole from my company.""
Thomas sighed.
"You're still thinking like a businessman. This is about family.""
"Family doesn't steal eighty-five thousand dollars.""
"Family also doesn't destroy everything its brother has worked for.""
I heard a faint noise behind his voice.
A child's laugh.
My entire body went still.
It sounded familiar.
Too familiar.
"Where are you?"" I demanded.
Thomas didn't answer.
Instead, he said something that made Richard drop the phone.
"Tell Ava her uncle says hello.""
Then the call ended.
I stared at the silent phone.
Thomas knew where my daughter was.
And judging by the sound in the background, he wasn't calling from an office.
He was somewhere near her.
My phone vibrated.
A message from Ms. Parker.
Marcus, please call me immediately. There's been an unexpected development involving Ava's visitation arrangements.
A second message arrived before I could respond.
Her mother has just requested an emergency transfer of the child to another location.
I looked at Daniel.
Then at Richard.
And finally at the recording device on the table.
May you like
The custody battle had just become something far more dangerous.
Because someone had decided that if they couldn't control the judge, they would control where my daughter disappeared next.
