Chapter 15 - Why Daniel
Daniel played the six-year-old video.
He was thirty-four, leaving a courthouse after testifying in a corporate fraud case involving Vale Meridian Holdings.
He had almost forgotten it.
At the time he was a forensic accountant, one witness among dozens.
His testimony had helped expose hidden payments through shell contractors.
Vale Meridian had settled without admitting wrongdoing.
Margaret Vale had been chairwoman.
Claire sat down.
"She chose you."
Daniel looked at her. "Did you know?"
"No."
"Did she introduce us?"
Claire's silence answered.
"Claire."
"She invited me to the charity dinner where we met. She told me you were interesting. That's all."
Daniel laughed bitterly. "That's all?"
"I didn't know she had a file on you."
Marcus said, "Maybe she wanted him close. Easier to monitor. Easier to discredit if old evidence surfaced."
Price looked at the clock.
Thirty-two minutes left.
A burner phone on the table rang.
Nobody had put it there.
Everyone froze.
Daniel answered on speaker.
Margaret's voice was calm.
"You found the archive."
"Where is Rebecca?"
"Alive, for the moment."
"Where is Rose?"
A pause.
"Safe."
"I want to hear her."
"No."
Daniel looked at Price, who gestured to keep talking.
"Why me?"
Margaret chuckled softly.
"Because six years ago you nearly destroyed something you didn't understand. Then my daughter fell in love with you, which was inconvenient but useful."
Claire closed her eyes.
"Did you order her to marry me?"
"I never had to order Claire to seek approval."
Claire flinched as if slapped.
Daniel said, "You don't get the drive."
"Then Rebecca dies."
"You need the archive more than you need her dead."
Silence.
For the first time, Daniel knew he had hit something true.
Margaret's voice returned colder.
"Twenty minutes. Old Vale Paper Mill. East entrance. Come alone."
The call ended.
Price looked at Daniel.
"You're not going alone."
Daniel picked up the hard drive.
"She doesn't need to know that."
May you like
Then the kitchen window exploded inward.
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