Chapter 4 - THE GODFATHER’S LIE“RICHARD INTRODUCED ME TO HER.”
Daniel said the words slowly because his mind resisted what they meant.
Michael nodded.
“At the Hamilton Foundation gala.”
Daniel remembered everything.
Richard smiling.
Vanessa standing beside him in a silver dress.
Richard saying she was a philanthropic consultant from California.
It had seemed accidental.
Elegant.
Perfect.
Now Daniel realized it might have been staged.
“He brought her into my life.”
Michael leaned against the table.
“We still don’t know why.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“We know enough.”
“No. We know Richard’s computer accessed the security system. That doesn’t prove Richard was sitting behind it.”
“Then we find out.”
Daniel opened his phone.
Michael stopped him.
“If Richard knows we suspect him, he disappears.”
Daniel stared at the dark screen.
“What do you suggest?”
“We make him believe you know nothing.”
The following morning, Daniel called Richard.
He forced his voice to sound exhausted.
Richard answered immediately.
“Daniel, thank God. I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“Vanessa attacked Ethan.”
“What?”
The shock sounded convincing.
Daniel hated how convincing it sounded.
“She’s gone.”
“Where are you?”
“At the villa.”
Michael silently watched him.
Richard said, “I’m coming over.”
“No.”
“Daniel—”
“I need legal help.”
“Anything.”
“Vanessa may make accusations. Prepare an emergency protective order.”
“Of course.”
“And Richard?”
“Yes?”
Daniel stared at Michael.
“Find her.”
A pause.
Then Richard answered.
“I will.”
The trap was set.
Michael had arranged surveillance on Richard’s vehicle.
By noon, Richard left headquarters.
He did not drive toward the courthouse.
He drove north.
Daniel and Michael followed from a distance.
The route ended at an abandoned equestrian estate outside Concord.
Richard entered a stable.
Twenty minutes later, another vehicle arrived.
Vanessa stepped out.
Daniel’s hands tightened around the steering wheel.
Michael whispered, “We have them.”
But Daniel noticed something strange.
Vanessa did not greet Richard like an ally.
She attacked him.
Even from across the field, Daniel could see her shove him.
Richard grabbed her arms.
They argued.
Michael activated the directional microphone.
Vanessa’s voice crackled through the receiver.
“You said Daniel wouldn’t be there!”
Richard responded.
“You lost control.”
“He came home early!”
“You were supposed to scare the boy, not nearly kill him!”
Daniel’s face changed.
Michael whispered, “Keep listening.”
Vanessa screamed.
“He wouldn’t tell me where Claire put the key!”
“You had three years!”
“Because you told me not to touch him!”
“And you should have listened!”
Daniel wanted to cross the field and tear Richard apart.
Michael grabbed his shoulder.
“Not yet.”
Richard’s voice continued.
“Claire’s archive is useless without all three keys.”
Vanessa laughed.
“You still don’t have yours?”
Daniel and Michael looked at each other.
Richard possessed the third key.
Claire had trusted him.
Richard had betrayed her.
Vanessa lowered her voice.
“Where is it?”
“Somewhere Daniel will never find it.”
“You told me Claire gave it to you.”
“She did.”
“Then open the archive.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
Richard hesitated.
“The keys are biometric.”
Vanessa stared at him.
“What?”
“Claire designed the system so each key records the user’s fingerprint. If I open it, the archive logs my identity.”
Vanessa stepped backward.
“So that’s why you needed Ethan.”
“Yes.”
Daniel felt sick.
His four-year-old son had been terrorized because criminals needed his hand on a key.
Vanessa suddenly said something unexpected.
“I’m done.”
Richard stared at her.
“You’re what?”
“I said I’m done.”
“You don’t get to be done.”
“I never agreed to kill anyone.”
Richard’s expression hardened.
“You attacked a child.”
Vanessa looked away.
For the first time, shame crossed her face.
“I lost control.”
“You enjoyed control.”
Vanessa slapped him.
Richard barely moved.
Then he whispered something that made Daniel’s blood freeze.
“Claire tried to leave too.”
Vanessa stopped.
“What does that mean?”
Richard smiled.
“You never figured it out?”
“Figured out what?”
“Claire’s crash.”
Vanessa stared at him.
Richard leaned closer.
“It wasn’t your father’s people.”
Daniel stopped breathing.
Michael whispered, “Oh God.”
Richard continued.
“It was me.”
Vanessa stepped backward in horror.
“You killed her?”
“She was going to expose everything.”
Daniel opened the SUV door.
Michael grabbed him.
“Daniel!”
“He killed Claire.”
“We need the confession recorded!”
“We have it!”
“Then wait for police!”
Daniel shook him off.
Across the field, Richard suddenly turned.
Perhaps he saw movement.
Perhaps instinct warned him.
His eyes locked onto the distant SUV.
“Get down!” Michael shouted.
Richard pulled a handgun.
The first bullet shattered the windshield.
Daniel ducked.
Vanessa screamed.
Michael called police while Daniel reversed behind a stone wall.
Richard ran toward his vehicle.
Vanessa did not follow.
Instead, she stood frozen beside the stable.
Richard accelerated away.
Daniel started after him.
Michael stopped him.
“Ethan needs a father, not another dead parent!”
Those words struck harder than the gunshot.
Daniel stopped.
Police sirens approached.
Vanessa collapsed onto her knees.
When officers surrounded her, she raised both hands.
Daniel walked toward her.
She looked up.
Her arrogance was gone.
“I didn’t know he killed Claire.”
Daniel stared at her.
“You hurt my son.”
Tears filled Vanessa’s eyes.
“I know.”
“You terrorized a four-year-old because you wanted revenge.”
“I know.”
“There is nothing you can say that makes that disappear.”
Vanessa lowered her head.
Daniel turned away.
Then she called after him.
“Daniel.”
He stopped.
“Richard has the third key.”
Daniel looked back.
“I know.”
“No.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“You don’t understand.”
She stared directly into his eyes.
“He doesn’t keep it with him.”
“Where is it?”
May you like
Vanessa swallowed.
“Claire’s grave.”
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