Chapter 4 - Hawthorne
Rebecca Sloan requested privacy.
Margaret refused.
So Sloan simply began asking questions in front of everyone.
First about Chloe.
Victoria admitted striking her but described it as "a corrective tap."
The bruise disagreed.
So did the caterer who had seen everything from the kitchen doorway.
Victoria's attitude changed when the officer asked her to turn around.
"You cannot be serious."
"Ma'am."
"It was one slap."
"Turn around."
Margaret stepped forward.
"My attorney will destroy you."
The officer did not raise his voice.
"Call him from the station."
Handcuffs clicked around Victoria's wrists.
Chloe stared.
Jessica covered her daughter's eyes against her shoulder.
Victoria began shouting.
"This is insane! David, do something!"
David did nothing.
Victoria was escorted out.
The elevator doors closed on her screaming Margaret's name.
For the first time in years, Margaret Hayes looked uncertain.
Then she turned on Jessica.
"Get out."
Sloan spoke.
"Actually, we'd prefer Mrs. Carter remain."
Margaret stared at her.
"You have no authority over my home."
"Regarding the other matter, we don't need authority over your home tonight."
Sloan removed a document from her bag.
"But you may want to understand why twelve financial institutions received preservation requests at four-fifteen this afternoon."
Margaret stopped breathing.
Jessica watched David.
"Four-fifteen?" he whispered.
Jessica nodded.
"Before dinner."
"But you said you activated the package after Chloe was hit."
"I activated the emergency disclosure package."
"What did you do before dinner?"
"Protected myself."
David sat slowly.
Richard remained silent.
Sloan looked at Jessica.
"You want to continue?"
Jessica nodded.
Three months earlier, she explained, a mailed bank statement had arrived at their apartment.
David usually handled household investments.
Jessica usually handled taxes because her military financial disclosures required precision.
The statement contained a transfer to Hawthorne Strategic Holdings.
Two hundred eighty thousand dollars.
David had never mentioned it.
When she asked him, he called it a temporary investment vehicle belonging to Margaret.
Jessica might have believed him.
Except the transfer came from their joint account.
Without Jessica's signature.
David interrupted.
"You approved that investment."
"I approved seventy-five thousand dollars."
"You said I could manage it."
"No."
Jessica's voice remained calm.
"I said seventy-five."
Margaret looked at David.
"You told me she authorized everything."
David rubbed his forehead.
Sloan wrote something down.
Jessica continued.
She had investigated quietly.
Hawthorne Strategic Holdings led to Lakeside Asset Group.
Lakeside led to North Meridian.
North Meridian owned part of a company called Sentinel Redevelopment Partners.
Sentinel had received millions in city redevelopment incentives.
Daniel Cho opened the sealed envelope.
Inside were charts.
Corporate records.
Transfers.
Property deeds.
Sloan slid one page toward Margaret.
"You recognize any of these?"
Margaret glanced at it.
"No."
Richard laughed.
Everyone turned.
It was not a humorous laugh.
It sounded exhausted.
"Of course she does."
Margaret's eyes snapped toward him.
"Richard."
He looked at his wife.
"Enough."
Jessica had heard Richard speak fewer than thirty sentences during the past year.
Now he looked directly at Sloan.
"Hawthorne is Margaret's."
Margaret slammed her palm onto the table.
"Shut your mouth."
Richard did not.
"David managed the transfers."
David stood.
"Dad."
"Victoria recruited investors."
"Richard!"
"And I signed documents."
Silence.
Jessica felt Chloe move against her shoulder.
Sloan leaned forward.
"What documents?"
Richard looked toward the windows.
Snow swirled beyond the glass.
"Documents that were supposed to stay buried."
Margaret crossed the room and slapped him.
The police officer stepped forward.
Richard didn't react.
He simply looked back at his wife.
"You should have known better than to slap people tonight."
Jessica felt something cold settle through her.
Sloan asked again.
"What documents, Mr. Hayes?"
Richard looked at Jessica.
May you like
And said the sentence that changed everything.
"The documents proving Hawthorne Tower was never supposed to belong to us."
