Chapter 8 - The Confession That Wasn't
Daniel found Eleanor in the Vance Foundation boardroom.
Twelve floors of glass overlooked the city.
She sat alone at the end of a long table, drinking tea.
"You sent someone to my wife's hospital room."
Eleanor did not look surprised.
"Sit down."
"No."
"Then pace. You always did that when you were upset."
Daniel threw the fake badge onto the table.
"This came from your office."
"Many people work here."
"She had cash."
"People often do."
"She had a map of the service exit."
Eleanor finally looked at him.
"You are making yourself sick over a woman who lied to you from the day she met you."
Daniel stopped.
"What are you talking about?"
"Ask Sarah why she never told you her father's name used to be in Vance legal files."
His anger shifted.
"My wife has nothing to do with this."
Eleanor leaned back.
"Thomas Reed."
Daniel knew the name.
Sarah's father had died when she was nineteen.
"He was an accountant."
"He was a thief."
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"Careful."
"He accused this company of fraud. He sued us. He lost. Then his family spent years telling everyone the Vances destroyed him."
"Sarah never said that."
"Exactly."
Daniel walked closer.
"What does that have to do with you pushing her?"
For the first time, something flashed in Eleanor's eyes.
Not guilt.
Fear.
"I did not push her."
"The recorder says you ordered the camera off."
"I wanted a private conversation."
"And the guardianship papers?"
"Because your wife is unstable."
Daniel leaned down until they were eye to eye.
"My wife is lying in a hospital because of you."
Eleanor stood so fast her teacup tipped.
"That baby will take everything!"
Silence.
Daniel froze.
Eleanor realized what she had said.
He took his phone from his pocket.
Her gaze snapped to it.
"Were you recording me?"
"No."
He almost wished he had been.
She slapped him.
The sound cracked across the boardroom.
Daniel did not move.
Then he looked at her with a calmness that scared even him.
"You just lost your son."
He walked out.
In the elevator, Arthur called.
"Daniel, I heard what she said about Thomas Reed."
"So?"
"I knew him."
Daniel pressed the phone harder to his ear.
Arthur's voice went quiet.
"Your father knew him too."
"What are you saying?"
"Eighteen years ago, Thomas Reed gave me a sealed envelope and told me to hide it if anything happened to him."
Daniel stared at the descending floor numbers.
"Do you still have it?"
A long pause.
"Yes."
"What's inside?"
"I never opened it."
Daniel closed his eyes.
"Arthur."
"I made him a promise."
"Then break it."
Arthur exhaled.
"Come to my apartment."
May you like
Then he added:
"Because if Eleanor knows you found the pantry recorder, she may already be looking for this too."
