Chapter 8 - The Man Who Was Supposed to Witness Everything)
Nathan Vale did not look like a man trying to flee the country.
That was what bothered Marcus most.
He looked annoyed.
He sat in an airport security office wearing a tan coat and expensive loafers while a detective explained why his planned business trip had suddenly become complicated.
Nathan was forty-one.
Handsome.
Controlled.
The kind of man Julian liked to stand beside at charity events because they looked like success made human.
“I am not fleeing,” Nathan said.
The detective replied, “Nobody said you were.”
“You stopped me before an international flight.”
“You’re free to clarify some things.”
Nathan looked at Marcus.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
Marcus smiled.
“Neither should my sister have been in a locked basement.”
Nathan looked away.
That reaction mattered.
“You knew.”
“No.”
“You knew something.”
Nathan said nothing.
Claire had remained at the hospital with Lily.
Marcus had wanted her nowhere near Julian’s business partner.
The detective placed the prewritten statement on the table.
Nathan looked at it.
His face changed.
“Where did you get that?”
“That’s your name.”
“I can read.”
“It says you witnessed Claire Carter threaten her husband on Friday evening.”
Nathan swallowed.
“It’s Thursday.”
“Yes.”
Silence.
The detective leaned back.
“Mr. Vale, whatever agreement you had with Julian Carter, I strongly suggest you stop protecting it.”
Nathan rubbed both hands over his face.
“You don’t understand.”
Marcus stood.
“Then help us.”
Nathan looked at him.
“Julian said she was sick.”
“Claire?”
“He said she was becoming paranoid.”
Marcus laughed.
“He told everyone that.”
“He showed me medical notes.”
“Forged.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
“He said she was accusing him of stealing.”
“He was stealing.”
“I know that now.”
Marcus stepped closer.
“When did you know?”
Nathan did not answer.
The detective asked, “Were you supposed to be at the house tomorrow?”
Nathan nodded.
“For what?”
“Dinner.”
“What did Julian tell you would happen?”
Nathan stared at the table.
“He said Claire was probably going to have an episode.”
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
“An episode.”
“He wanted someone there.”
“A witness.”
“Yes.”
“To a breakdown he had already typed up.”
“I didn’t know about the statement.”
“But you agreed to go.”
Nathan’s eyes flashed.
“I thought he needed help.”
Marcus leaned over the table.
“You were going to watch my sister get dragged into a psychiatric facility.”
Nathan stood.
“I didn’t know that.”
The detective ordered both men to sit.
Nathan did.
Marcus remained standing until the detective looked at him.
Then he sat.
Nathan exhaled.
“Three weeks ago Julian asked me to sign a letter.”
“What letter?”
“Saying Claire had behaved erratically during a board dinner.”
“Did she?”
“No.”
Marcus stared at him.
“And you signed it.”
Nathan’s voice was barely audible.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Julian said it was for insurance purposes.”
Marcus laughed in disbelief.
“You are either the stupidest businessman I have ever met or the most dishonest.”
Nathan’s face reddened.
“He had leverage.”
There it was.
The detective leaned forward.
“What leverage?”
Nathan looked toward the mirrored window.
Then back at them.
“Carter Strategic Holdings wasn’t supposed to be losing money.”
Marcus said, “But it was.”
“Badly.”
“How badly?”
“Twenty-eight million.”
Marcus understood.
“That’s why Julian stole from Claire.”
“He called it temporary financing.”
“Did you benefit?”
Nathan hesitated.
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Two million.”
Marcus wanted to hit him.
The detective spoke first.
“What leverage did Julian have?”
Nathan’s mouth tightened.
“He kept records proving I approved false revenue reports to investors.”
“So if you refused to help him…”
“He said we would both go down.”
Marcus stared at him.
“You already are.”
Nathan looked sick.
“Yes.”
The detective slid the insurance policy forward.
Nathan stared.
His reaction was immediate.
“What is that?”
“You’ve never seen it?”
“No.”
Marcus watched carefully.
For the first time, he believed him.
Nathan read the amount.
Fifteen million.
His face went pale.
“Oh, God.”
“What?”
Nathan looked at Marcus.
“Friday wasn’t the first plan.”
Marcus felt the room change.
“What does that mean?”
Nathan did not answer quickly enough.
Marcus stood again.
“What was the first plan?”
Nathan looked at the detective.
“I want a lawyer.”
Marcus struck the table with both palms.
“What was the first plan?”
The detective said, “Marcus.”
Nathan whispered, “The lake house.”
Marcus froze.
“What lake house?”
“The Bennett property near Geneva.”
Claire owned a lake house in Wisconsin.
She had inherited it from their mother.
Julian had pressured her to sell it for years.
“When?”
Nathan swallowed.
“Three months ago.”
“What happened?”
“Julian asked me whether I knew anyone who could make a boating accident look believable.”
The words fell into the room like stones.
Marcus stared at him.
“What did you say?”
“I told him he was insane.”
“Did you report it?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I thought he was venting.”
“You thought a man asking how to fake his wife’s boating accident was venting?”
Nathan looked ashamed.
“He laughed afterward.”
Marcus felt something cold move through him.
The detective interrupted.
“Did he ask again?”
“No.”
“Did he make any preparations?”
“I don’t know.”
“Think.”
Nathan stared at the insurance policy.
“There was a payment.”
“To whom?”
“I don’t know.”
“From what account?”
“Carter Strategic operating.”
“How much?”
“Seventy-five thousand.”
“When?”
“Two days after the conversation.”
The detective wrote quickly.
“Recipient?”
Nathan shook his head.
“A consulting company. Blackridge something.”
Marcus’s phone rang.
Claire.
He answered immediately.
“Are you okay?”
Her breathing was fast.
“Marcus.”
“What happened?”
“Someone called the hospital.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“What did they want?”
“They pretended to be from Lily’s school.”
Marcus stood.
“Why?”
“They asked what room we were in.”
His stomach dropped.
“Did the hospital tell them?”
“No.”
“Stay there. I’m coming.”
“Marcus.”
“What?”
Claire’s voice became quiet.
“I remembered what happens Friday.”
He froze.
“The lake house.”
Nathan looked up.
Claire continued.
“Julian told me we were having dinner in Chicago.”
Marcus said nothing.
“But yesterday morning I found Lily’s overnight bag.”
“Where?”
“In Julian’s car.”
Claire took a breath.
“There were two suitcases beside it.”
“For you and Julian?”
“No.”
“One was his.”
“And the other?”
May you like
Claire’s answer changed everything.
“Neither was mine.”
