Chapter 16
Ryan grabbed the phone.
“You’re lying.”
Martin was silent.
Ryan shouted, “My mother didn’t kill Henry!”
Bell took the phone from him.
“Mr. Shaw, continue.”
Martin’s voice was tired.
“I didn’t say she killed him.”
“You said she was there.”
“Yes.”
“What did you see?”
“I followed Henry from the estate.”
My palms were damp.
“He was driving fast. Too fast.”
“Why?”
“I think he knew he was being followed.”
“By you?”
“Maybe.”
“Then?”
“A sedan came out from a side road.”
“Diane?”
“Yes.”
“How did you recognize her?”
“I had been monitoring her for months.”
Ryan stared.
“Why?”
Martin answered before Bell could ask.
“Victor Carter believed Diane knew about Emily.”
My grandfather again.
“What about me?”
“Your paternity.”
I closed my eyes.
“He knew Diane might expose it?”
“Yes.”
“What were your instructions?”
“Keep her away from Henry. Keep her away from Emily.”
“By doing what?”
“Watching.”
“Only watching?”
Martin paused.
“Mostly.”
Claire muttered, “That’s not reassuring.”
Bell said, “Tell us about the crash.”
“Diane’s car pulled behind Henry. I stayed farther back.”
“Did she hit him?”
“I couldn’t tell.”
“You were following.”
“The road curved. Trees blocked my view.”
“Then what did you see?”
“Brake lights. Her car swerved. Henry’s car went through the rail.”
My chest tightened.
“Did you stop?”
“Yes.”
“Was Diane there?”
“For less than a minute.”
“What did she do?”
Martin’s answer came slowly.
“She climbed down the embankment.”
Ryan whispered, “No.”
“Then?”
“She came back carrying the red case.”
The room froze.
I gripped the table.
“Why didn’t you tell police?”
“Victor ordered me not to.”
“Grandfather knew?”
“I called him.”
“What did he say?”
“Leave.”
Rage rose so fast I shook.
“You left my father down there?”
“I called emergency services anonymously.”
“You left him!”
“I thought he was already dead.”
“You didn’t check?”
“No.”
I wanted to scream.
Daniel looked sick.
Martin continued.
“Diane drove away. I followed her.”
“Why?”
“To recover the case.”
“Did you?”
“No. She lost me.”
Bell asked, “Why would Diane want it?”
“I didn’t know then.”
“And now?”
“She wanted proof that Henry had known about Thomas and Emily.”
Ryan stared at the floor.
Bell asked, “Do you believe she caused the crash?”
“I don’t know.”
“You saw her vehicle close behind.”
“Yes.”
“Did Henry’s vehicle show impact damage?”
“The police report said no.”
Ryan looked up immediately.
“Then she didn’t hit him.”
Martin said, “I never said she did.”
I asked, “Where is the missing photograph?”
“What photograph?”
“Dad beside his car. Daniel beside him.”
“I took it.”
Daniel swore.
“You?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Surveillance.”
“Was there another copy?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Martin hesitated.
“In Victor Carter’s private archive.”
Daniel frowned.
“That archive was emptied after Grandfather died.”
“Not all of it.”
“Where is the rest?”
Martin gave an address.
A warehouse outside Baltimore.
Claire wrote it down.
Bell asked, “Where are you now?”
“No.”
“Mr. Shaw.”
“I’ll meet Emily.”
“Not alone,” I said.
Martin was silent.
I continued.
“If you want to talk, police are there.”
“No.”
“Then we’re done.”
“Emily—”
“No more secret meetings. No more conditions. You worked for my grandfather. You followed my father. You watched Diane. You let me live three years believing a lie.”
“I’m trying to make it right.”
“Then show up.”
Silence.
Then he gave an address.
A church parking lot forty minutes away.
Bell organized the meeting.
Martin arrived exactly on time.
He looked older than I remembered.
Gray hair.
Bent shoulders.
He carried nothing.
Police searched him.
Then he sat across from me inside a small church office.
“I’m sorry,” he said again.
“Tell me something useful.”
He nodded.
“Your grandfather didn’t order your father killed.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he ordered me to protect him.”
I laughed coldly.
“By stalking him.”
“He thought Henry was going to expose the company and make powerful people desperate.”
“Who?”
Martin named three former executives.
Two were dead.
One was alive.
Charles Mercer.
Former CFO of Carter Development.
Daniel whispered, “Mercer?”
I knew the name.
He had spoken at Dad’s funeral.
Martin continued.
“Henry discovered Mercer had continued some of Victor’s old schemes.”
“After Grandfather retired?”
“Yes.”
“Was Diane involved?”
“Not financially.”
“Then why was she following Dad?”
Martin looked at Ryan.
Ryan stared back.
“Because Thomas Hayes once worked for Mercer.”
Ryan’s face changed.
“My father was an accountant.”
“For Carter Development subsidiaries.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Most people didn’t.”
I asked, “What did Thomas discover?”
“Same thing Henry discovered years later.”
“The stolen money?”
“Worse.”
Martin’s voice dropped.
“Properties were being purchased after owners were pressured into default.”
Claire frowned.
“Fraud?”
“Sometimes.”
“Sometimes?”
Martin looked ashamed.
“Sometimes fires happened.”
The room went silent.
I stared at him.
“What are you saying?”
“Your grandfather built part of his empire by destroying people who refused to sell.”
I felt sick.
“And Thomas knew?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to him?”
Martin looked at Ryan.
“Officially?”
Ryan went pale.
“A heart attack.”
Martin nodded.
May you like
Then said,
“Your father was thirty-six years old.”
