Chapter 4 - Behind Closed Doors
Daniel ushered Leo into the cathedral’s private rectory, locking the heavy brass bolt behind them. Outside, the muffled chaos of whispering guests, siren wails in the distance, and Julianna’s high-pitched protests bounced against the thick mahogany door.
Marcus stood by the leaded glass window, adjusting his radio. “The guy we caught was just a hired hand, Daniel. Name’s Ray Miller. A private investigator with a revoked license. He had three burner phones and a notarized power of attorney document in his breast pocket.”
“Signed by whom?” Daniel demanded, his jaw clenched so hard his teeth ached.
“Signed by Julianna Vance and an anonymous offshore entity called Chimera Holdings,” Marcus said grimly. “The paperwork was set to execute the moment your marriage certificate was filed with the county clerk today. It authorized the immediate transfer of thirty-five percent of your corporate voting shares to that trust.”
Daniel sat down on a leather wingback chair, pulling Leo onto his lap. The boy was trembling, the adrenaline of his bold intervention finally fading into exhaustion.
“Leo,” Daniel said softly, running a hand through his son’s hair. “You were so brave out there. But you have to tell me everything. Why didn’t you come to me yesterday?”
Leo looked down at his patent-leather shoes. “She showed me pictures, Dad. Pictures of you at the police station three years ago, when Mommy died. She said that the police thought you crashed the car on purpose, and that if you didn’t marry her, her friend would give the police a tape that proved it.”
Daniel’s blood turned to ice. Claire’s accident had occurred late at night on an icy mountain road. Daniel had been miles away at the office, but because Claire was driving Daniel’s company sedan, detectives had routinely interrogated him before clearing him of any involvement.
“That was a lie, buddy,” Daniel said, his voice thick with emotion. “A cruel, disgusting lie to scare you.”
“I knew she was lying about the baby,” Leo whispered. “Her belly felt weird when she hugged me last week. It was squishy like a balloon. So I hid my iPad behind the curtains in her dressing room yesterday when she was talking on the phone.”
Daniel plugged the thumb drive Leo gave him into Marcus’s ruggedized tablet. A directory appeared on screen, containing four encrypted audio files and a PDF document labeled *Settlement_Terms_Final.pdf*.
Marcus tapped the first audio file. The room filled with the scratchy static of a phone line, followed by Julianna’s familiar, sharp tone: *“He bought it. The doctor’s note worked. He thinks I’m fifteen weeks along. The wedding is set for Saturday.”*
Then came the second voice. It was hoarse, rattling, like someone breathing through crushed glass.
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*“Good. Make sure the child is isolated. If Daniel hesitates at the vows, remind him of the footage from the turnpike. He won’t risk losing custody of the boy.”*
Daniel stared at the speaker. That voice wasn’t unfamiliar. It belonged to someone he hadn't heard in five years—someone who was supposed to be serving a twenty-year sentence in a federal penitentiary.
