Chapter 8: My Father’s Partner
Richard Vale had held Lily in the hospital.
He had stood beside me at Claire’s funeral.
He had taught Lily to ride a bicycle.
Every Christmas, he sat at the head of my table and toasted “family.””
I called him Uncle Richard.
Now Natalie was telling me he had built my company.
And kidnapped my wife.
“Where is Vanessa?”” I demanded.
“I don’t know.””
“You sent me the photograph.””
“It came from Richard’s number.””
Morales motioned for me to put the call on speaker.
I did.
Natalie continued.
“He wants you frightened.””
“Why?””
“Because Claire left you enough evidence to destroy him.””
“Where?””
“That’s what he wants to know.””
“I don’t have it.””
“He doesn’t believe that.””
Morales leaned closer.
“Natalie, where are you?””
She laughed bitterly.
“Nice try.””
“We can protect you.””
“No one protected Claire.””
The call ended.
I immediately dialed Richard.
Straight to voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
I opened the family tracking app on my phone.
Richard had insisted years ago that we all use it “for emergencies.””
His location was unavailable.
But something else appeared.
Lily’s tablet.
A second device was connected to her account.
Moving.
South.
“Morales.””
He saw it.
“Whose device?””
“I don’t know.””
The officer radioed the location.
I looked toward the staircase.
“Maria!””
She came down carrying Lily.
“We need to leave.””
“Where?””
“Police station.””
Lily tightened her arms around Maria.
“Is Vanessa coming?””
“No.””
“Why?””
I couldn’t answer.
Lily looked toward the library.
“Uncle Richard said Vanessa was bad.””
Everything stopped.
“When did Richard say that?””
“Yesterday.””
“He was here yesterday?””
Lily nodded.
“He came when Vanessa went shopping.””
My mouth went dry.
“What did he do?””
“He asked about the wall.””
Morales crouched beside her.
“What wall, Lily?””
“The one downstairs.””
The hidden room.
“What did you tell him?””
“That I heard somebody.””
My chest tightened.
“What did Richard say?””
“He told me never to go near it again.””
Lily frowned.
“Then he went into Daddy’s office.””
I looked at Morales.
The study.
The passage.
Richard knew.
I carried Lily into my study.
“Show me where Richard went.””
She pointed at my desk.
“He opened that.””
The bottom drawer.
I unlocked it.
Nothing looked disturbed.
Then Lily said, “Not that one.””
She pointed underneath.
I knelt.
Attached beneath the desk was a tiny magnetic device.
Morales removed it carefully.
“A tracker?””
He examined it.
“Audio recorder.””
Richard had bugged my office.
I suddenly remembered hundreds of conversations.
Business deals.
Legal calls.
Private conversations with Claire.
Conversations about Lily.
“He’s been listening.””
Morales nodded.
“Possibly for years.””
My phone rang again.
This time the caller ID appeared.
RICHARD VALE.
I answered.
“Where is Vanessa?””
Richard sounded almost amused.
“Good evening, Daniel.””
“Where is she?””
“You sound upset.””
“If you hurt her—”
“You hit her yourself tonight, didn’t you?””
My blood went cold.
He knew.
He had been listening.
“Let Vanessa go.””
“She’s perfectly safe.””
Vanessa screamed in the background.
“DANIEL!””
The line muffled.
Then Richard returned.
“As I said. Safe.””
“What do you want?””
“The black case.””
I looked at Morales.
“What case?””
“Don’t insult me.””
Richard’s voice hardened.
“Claire’s case.””
“You killed her.””
Silence.
Then a sigh.
“Claire killed herself by becoming sentimental.””
My stomach twisted.
“Did you cut her brake line?””
“No.””
“Who did?””
“You’re asking the wrong question.””
“What should I ask?””
“Why was Claire driving that road at midnight?””
I clenched my jaw.
“Tell me.””
“She was bringing something to you.””
“The phone?””
“More valuable.””
“The company documents?””
Richard laughed.
“Mercer Biotech is worth four billion dollars, Daniel. Do you really believe thirty-one percent of it simply appeared in Lily’s trust?””
My eyes moved to Lily.
“Claire found the original ownership agreement.””
“Correct.””
“My father stole your company.””
“Your father stole half.””
That surprised me.
“Half?””
“Mercer Biotech had three founders.””
“My father and you.””
“Three.””
“Who was the third?””
Richard paused.
“Claire’s father.””
Everything clicked.
The shares.
Claire’s family trust.
Evelyn.
“My father cheated Claire’s father too.””
“Yes.””
“And Claire found proof.””
“Yes.””
“What does Natalie have to do with this?””
Richard became quiet.
“Ask her.””
“I’m asking you.””
“She was useful.””
“For what?””
“For producing an heir.””
I looked at Lily.
My stomach turned.
“An heir to what?””
Richard chuckled.
“Now you’re finally asking the right questions.””
The call ended.
I immediately tried him again.
Nothing.
Morales looked at me.
“Old Shaw house.””
“He expects me there.””
“Which means we don’t go alone.””
“No.””
Lily suddenly spoke.
“Daddy?””
I turned.
She was holding something.
A folded piece of paper.
“Where did you get that?””
“Uncle Richard gave it to me.””
“When?””
“Yesterday.””
She handed it over.
Written in Richard’s handwriting:
WHEN YOUR DAD FINDS THE DOOR, GIVE HIM THIS.
Below it was a sequence of numbers.
37-14-09-22.
Morales frowned.
“A code?””
I knew those numbers.
Warehouse 37.
Row 14.
Unit 09.
Locker 22.
Mercer Biotech’s original research facility.
Abandoned twelve years ago.
Richard hadn’t been warning me away from the truth.
He had been guiding me toward something.
But why?
Then I turned the paper over.
May you like
There was another message.
CLAIRE IS WAITING THERE.
