Chapter 17 - RICHARD'S LAST SECRET
Richard was arrested the following morning, but instead of relief, I felt something much worse. The investigators found everything we expected: fraudulent bank transfers, forged ownership documents, payments to Daniel Mercer, communications with Scott, and records proving Richard had arranged Lily's disappearance. It should have been enough to close the case. But Detective Shaw came to my house that afternoon with a look I had never seen on his face before. He placed a thick evidence folder on my table and opened it carefully. Inside were photographs of Richard meeting Scott, Richard meeting Daniel, and Richard entering the old garage where my father had started the company. Then Shaw placed one final photograph in front of me. It showed Richard standing beside another man.
The man's face was blurred.
But the date on the photograph was fifteen years old.
The day before Scott and I incorporated the company.
I stared at it.
“Who is he?”
Detective Shaw shook his head.
“We don't know.”
Marcus leaned over the table.
“I do.”
Everyone turned toward him.
Marcus's face had gone pale.
“That man is Adrian Cross.”
I had never heard the name.
Marcus continued.
“He was your father's attorney.”
My mother covered her mouth.
“He was supposed to be dead.”
I looked at her.
“What happened?”
She couldn't answer.
Marcus did.
“Your father discovered Adrian had been moving money from the family trust.”
My heart began pounding.
“He confronted him.”
Marcus looked toward the window.
“And three days later, your father died.”
The room went silent.
I felt sick.
“Are you saying my father was murdered?”
“No.”
Marcus shook his head.
“I'm saying we never proved how he died.”
Detective Shaw turned another page.
There were financial records.
Thousands of transactions.
Companies I had never heard of.
Payments made over fifteen years.
And at the bottom of one page was a familiar name.
Richard Vale.
But beside it was another account.
An account controlled by Adrian Cross.
Richard had not been stealing for himself.
He had been moving money for someone else.
Then Shaw placed one final document on the table.
A trust activation notice.
The date was tomorrow.
Lily's first birthday.
My blood ran cold.
May you like
Someone had been waiting fifteen years for that exact day.
And now I knew Richard wasn't the one who had been waiting.
