Chapter 5 - The First Lie
Ethan called the hospital and told security to keep Richard away from Margaret. Then he drove Tessa to Jonah's apartment above a mechanic shop.
Jonah answered in sweatpants, took one look at them, and opened the door wider.
"I knew your wedding would be a disaster," he said. "I pictured a bad cake, not armed bodyguards."
For the first time all night, Ethan almost laughed.
Tessa placed an old flash drive on the table. "My aunt copied financial records. She said Richard's people were using fake vendors to charge for steel that never arrived."
Jonah plugged it into an offline laptop. Thousands of invoices appeared, along with inspection reports bearing Daniel's signature.
"He signed off on unsafe buildings?" Ethan asked.
"Look closer," Tessa said.
The signatures on six reports were identical down to an ink blot. Forged copies.
At the bottom of a spreadsheet was a payment to a company called Harbor Lantern Holdings. The current owner was Claire Vale.
Ethan pushed back from the table.
"She didn't necessarily know," Jonah said.
"She's been hiding this for months."
"Both can be true."
A knock came from below. Three slow taps.
Jonah glanced at a security screen. A uniformed police officer stood outside beside a man in a dark jacket.
"Police," the officer called. "We need to speak with Mr. Mercer about a stolen vehicle and an assault."
Tessa whispered, "That's the man from the SUV."
Ethan reached for his phone. Someone had filed a complaint under his name for attacking Richard at the wedding. A warrant request was circulating online.
Jonah opened a hidden floor hatch used for storing expensive parts. "You two go downstairs. I'll speak to them."
"I won't make you lie for me," Ethan said.
May you like
"Good. I won't. I'll tell them to get a warrant."
As Ethan helped Tessa into the cramped storage bay, he heard the officer say, "We've already got one."
