Chapter 14 - Natalie’s Choice
Natalie wore the same white trousers from the lodge, now stained at the knees. Her face was exhausted but composed.
Walter stared at her. “You came with him?”
“I came to keep him from killing you.”
Daniel smiled. “A generous interpretation.”
Meredith looked at her sister-in-law. “Are you helping him?”
Natalie’s eyes flicked toward the gun. “I am helping my daughter keep a father.”
Walter’s voice broke. “By bringing a murderer here?”
“By negotiating.”
Daniel placed a black duffel bag on the table. “The arrangement is simple. Walter signs a statement accepting sole responsibility for the riverfront fraud. Meredith transfers ten million dollars into an account I provide and announces the family dispute was a misunderstanding. Natalie and Walter leave the country. Evelyn remains silent. I disappear.”
Meredith almost laughed. “You believe I will pay you.”
“I believe you will pay to keep Lily’s name out of evidence proving Adrian Cross planned to take her from you.”
He removed a folder from the bag.
Inside were custody documents prepared before Adrian’s death.
Meredith read the first page. Adrian had petitioned for parental recognition and shared custody of the unborn child.
Her chest tightened.
“He never told me.”
Daniel said, “He intended to control your company through the child.”
“That is what Thomas wrote.”
“Because it was true.”
Walter shook his head. “Dad manufactured evidence whenever truth became inconvenient.”
Daniel’s gun shifted toward him. “Be careful.”
Meredith studied the custody papers. The signature looked like Adrian’s, but the filing date was two weeks after his death.
She looked up. “These are forged.”
Daniel’s expression barely changed.
“You filed them after he died to justify what Thomas had done.”
“Can you prove that?”
“The court stamp is dated November second. Adrian died October eighteenth.”
Natalie stared at the document.
“You said these were real.”
Daniel did not look at her. “They are useful.”
Something changed in Natalie’s face.
For two days she had lied, stolen evidence, defended herself, and blamed Meredith. But now she saw what Meredith had already learned: Daniel protected no one. He collected frightened people and turned their weakness into contracts.
Walter stepped toward her. “Nat, come here.”
Daniel raised the gun.
“Stay where you are.”
Natalie moved anyway.
Not toward Walter.
Toward the table.
She swept the work lamp to the floor.
Darkness filled the pumping station.
Walter tackled Daniel. The gun fired into the ceiling. Meredith dropped behind the table as concrete dust rained down.
Natalie screamed. Men struggled in the dark. A second shot struck metal.
Meredith found the fallen lamp, rolled it upright, and saw Daniel wrench free from Walter.
He pointed the gun at Meredith.
Natalie stepped between them.
The shot exploded.
She fell.
Walter caught her before she hit the floor.
Daniel ran into the tunnel.
Police rushed through the main entrance seconds later, drawn by the shots and the tracking beacon Meredith’s security chief had hidden in her coat.
Paramedics worked on Natalie beside the river. The bullet had entered below her ribs. She remained conscious long enough to grip Meredith’s wrist.
“I hated you,” she whispered.
Meredith knelt beside her. “Save your strength.”
“I hated that you left and became everything. I stayed. I did what they wanted. Married Walter. smiled in pictures. Asked permission for money.”
“You stole from Lily.”
“I know.”
“You hurt her.”
Natalie’s eyes filled. “I know.”
Meredith did not offer forgiveness. Not yet. Perhaps not ever.
Natalie coughed and tightened her grip.
“Daniel has a room under the north tunnel. He keeps copies. Videos. Payments. Everything.”
“Why tell me?”
“Because he said Lily would be useful if you refused.”
Meredith’s blood went cold.
“Where is Lily?”
“At school with security,” Walter said.
Meredith called immediately.
The security chief answered after one ring.
“Ms. Hale, Lily is safe. But there was an attempted pickup twenty minutes ago. A woman presented forged authorization from you.”
“What woman?”
“We detained her. She says her name is Rebecca Cross.”
Meredith looked at Natalie.
Adrian had been married to Rebecca Cross when he died.
May you like
Rebecca had disappeared from public life years ago.
The security chief continued, “She claims she is Lily’s legal guardian.”
