Chapter 4
My father didn’t speak for several seconds.
I watched his face.
He looked shocked.
But underneath the shock was something else.
Recognition.
“Dad.”
He didn’t look at me.
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re lying.”
His eyes finally met mine.
“I’m not.”
Sophie looked frightened.
Claire pulled her close.
Margaret stepped between us.
“This conversation needs to happen somewhere secure.”
Police arrived minutes later.
They checked the house.
Richard was nowhere inside.
Neither was Victor.
But Richard’s home office had been torn apart.
Desk drawers were open.
Papers covered the floor.
A wall safe stood empty.
Claire stared at it.
“I didn’t know he had that.”
One officer turned toward her.
“Do you know what was kept inside?”
“No.”
Sophie looked at her mother.
“I might.”
Everyone turned.
She hesitated.
“Dad used to keep a flash drive there.”
Claire’s expression tightened.
“How do you know?”
“I saw him once. He got mad when I came into the office.”
“What color?”
“Red.”
Margaret asked, “Did he take it tonight?”
“I don’t know.”
Sophie looked toward the bookshelves.
“But last week he hid it somewhere else.”
My father stepped closer.
“Where?”
Sophie stared at him.
I could see suspicion in her face now.
She had heard Richard’s accusation.
Maybe she was wondering whether my family was part of whatever he had hidden.
I couldn’t blame her.
“You don’t have to tell him,” I said.
My father looked at me sharply.
I ignored him.
“Sophie, you don’t owe any of us trust.”
Claire squeezed my hand.
Sophie’s shoulders loosened.
“He put it inside one of Mom’s old photo albums.”
Claire’s eyes widened.
She rushed to a cabinet.
The police stopped her.
They photographed everything first.
Then an officer opened the cabinet with gloves.
There were six large albums.
The red flash drive was inside the third.
Taped behind a photograph.
Richard and Claire on their wedding day.
He was smiling in the picture.
Claire wasn’t.
I stared at that for a second too long.
The officer bagged the drive.
My father said, “We need a copy.”
The detective looked at him.
“No.”
Margaret immediately touched his arm.
“Daniel.”
He stopped.
The detective’s eyes narrowed.
“This is potential evidence in a criminal matter.”
“I understand.”
“Then act like it.”
I almost smiled.
My father was not accustomed to being spoken to that way.
Tonight was full of new experiences for him.
After the police finished, Claire refused to stay in the house.
We placed her and Sophie in a private apartment owned by our company under a different name.
Only Margaret, my father, Kevin, and I knew the location.
At least, that was what I believed.
When we finally left, it was nearly three in the morning.
My father and I sat in the back of the SUV.
For ten minutes, neither of us spoke.
Then I said, “What was Richard talking about?”
“I told you. I don’t know.”
“You recognized something.”
He looked out the window.
“That isn’t an answer.”
He sighed.
“Emily.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Say my name like I’m a child asking questions she doesn’t understand.”
His jaw tightened.
“You’ve had a traumatic night.”
“And that makes me stupid?”
“No.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
He rubbed his forehead.
“Caldwell Development borrowed money from us before.”
I stared at him.
“How much?”
“Twenty-two million.”
“When?”
“Twelve years ago.”
I did the math.
“When Mom was still alive.”
“Yes.”
My mother had died nine years ago.
Cancer.
She had been the heart of our family.
After she died, my father became harder.
My brother buried himself in work.
And I spent years trying to find a life that didn’t feel like a corporate memorial to her.
“Did she know?”
My father looked at me.
“She opposed the loan.”
My chest tightened.
“Why?”
“She didn’t trust Richard.”
“So why did you approve it?”
“Because the numbers worked.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Apparently they didn’t.”
“At the time, they did.”
“What did Mom think he was hiding?”
My father didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
“Dad.”
“She suspected Richard was moving losses between subsidiaries.”
“Fraud?”
“She couldn’t prove it.”
“And Victor?”
My father’s eyes darkened.
“He pushed harder than anyone to approve the loan.”
I felt sick.
“You knew that?”
“I knew he supported it. I didn’t know he was secretly close to Richard.”
“He was in Richard’s house tonight.”
“I am aware.”
“Calling himself Uncle Victor to Richard’s daughter.”
My father looked wounded.
Victor had been his friend for thirty years.
He had been at birthdays.
Christmas dinners.
My mother’s funeral.
He had carried my father through grief.
Or at least we had thought he had.
My phone rang.
It was Daniel Jr.
My brother.
I answered.
“Where are you?”
His voice was frantic.
“With Dad.”
“Is he okay?”
I looked at my father.
“He’s physically fine.”
“What does that mean?”
“Victor may be involved with Caldwell.”
Silence.
Then Daniel said, “What?”
“You heard me.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Sophie Caldwell says Victor was at their house tonight.”
Another pause.
“Emily, where are Claire and Sophie?”
I stiffened.
“Why?”
“I’m trying to help.”
“Why do you need their location?”
My father reached for the phone.
I pulled it away.
“Emily,” Daniel said slowly, “what’s happening?”
“I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Wait—”
I ended the call.
My father stared at me.
“You think your brother is involved?”
“I think tonight I found out one man who ate at our Thanksgiving table may have betrayed us.”
“That doesn’t mean Daniel did.”
“I didn’t say it did.”
“You implied it.”
“No. I’m learning not to assume anyone is safe.”
The SUV stopped outside my apartment building.
My father reached for my hand.
I almost pulled away.
Then I didn’t.
His fingers closed around mine.
“I should have listened to your mother.”
His voice broke slightly.
It shocked me.
My father rarely admitted regret.
“I thought she was being emotional.”
He looked down.
“She told me Richard Caldwell was dangerous.”
I swallowed.
“She was right.”
“Yes.”
I squeezed his hand.
Then my phone lit up.
Unknown number.
A photograph appeared.
Claire and Sophie entering the company apartment.
Taken less than an hour ago.
May you like
Under it were six words.
YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED A WAITRESS.
