Chương 8 - Richard's Second Letter
By dawn, Evelyn had stopped believing in coincidences.
The burglary had been surgical. Whoever entered Martin's office knew exactly where the safe was, exactly what to take, and exactly what message to leave.
The police found no usable prints.
Security cameras had looped the same twelve minutes of empty hallway footage.
At 6:20 a.m., Evelyn sat in Martin's conference room with Ethan, Claire, and Detective Lena Ortiz, the lead investigator on Richard's reopened case.
Evelyn had not invited Ethan.
Detective Ortiz had.
That irritated her more than it should have.
Ortiz was direct. “We now have two separate threats tied to financial evidence and your father's death. From this point on, I need everyone to stop running private investigations.”
Claire raised an eyebrow. “That includes the police one that got buried three years ago?”
Ortiz ignored the jab. “Especially you.”
Ethan slid a flash drive across the table.
“I made digital copies of the Halston records.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“You had copies?”
“Yes.”
“And you let me believe the envelope was our only evidence?”
“I wanted whoever stole it to think that too.”
Evelyn laughed in disbelief. “You really do have a talent for making lies sound strategic.”
His expression tightened but he said nothing.
Ortiz inserted the drive into a laptop.
The financial records showed eleven transfers totaling $2.7 million.
Grant's companies were connected to six.
The other five went to a nonprofit called Harbor Youth Initiative.
Evelyn knew that name.
Her father had praised the organization publicly.
Martin leaned closer to the screen. “Richard approved grants to Harbor.”
Claire shook her head. “The legitimate grants were separate. These transfers used fake consulting invoices.”
Ortiz asked, “Who controls Harbor?”
Martin answered slowly. “Board chair is Miriam Cross.”
Evelyn felt cold.
Miriam was Grant's mother.
Her aunt.
The woman who had practically raised Evelyn after her own mother died.
“No.”
Ortiz looked at her. “We follow records, not family relationships.”
Evelyn stood. “I need air.”
She walked to the window.
Ethan followed but did not touch her.
“My aunt was at the gala,” Evelyn said.
“Yes.”
“She left before the lights went out.”
Ethan hesitated.
That made her turn.
“What?”
He reached into his pocket and opened a photograph on his phone.
Hotel security had captured Miriam entering a service elevator twenty minutes before the blackout.
With Officer Daniels.
Evelyn stared at the image.
“Why would a police officer be with my aunt?”
Detective Ortiz stood so fast her chair scraped backward.
“Send me that.”
Ethan did.
Ortiz made a call.
Thirty seconds later, she looked at them.
“Daniels didn't report for debrief.”
Martin's face tightened.
Claire whispered, “He's gone.”
Then Evelyn's phone buzzed.
A text from an unknown number.
CHECK YOUR FATHER'S STUDY. THIRD DRAWER. FALSE BOTTOM.
She showed the others.
Ethan said, “You are not going alone.”
This time, Evelyn didn't argue.
May you like
Because the sender immediately followed with another message.
AND DO NOT BRING MARTIN SHAW.
