Chapter 10 - erics last mistake)
Eric believed the second memory card would save him.
It did the opposite.
The school security system captured him entering the building.
He wore a baseball cap and kept his face lowered.
But he used a stolen access badge belonging to a Reeves company employee.
The cameras recorded his vehicle.
Police now had enough evidence to issue a nationwide alert.
Eric abandoned the car twenty miles away.
Inside it, officers found the opened time capsule.
Family photographs lay scattered across the passenger seat.
The second memory card was missing.
So was Eric.
Daniel expected panic.
Instead, something inside him became calm.
For days, Eric had controlled every movement.
Every secret.
Every threat.
Now he was running.
And running people made mistakes.
The first mistake was taking the school copy.
The second was calling Margaret.
Police recorded the call with her cooperation.
Eric said.
You gave them the ledger.
Margaret replied.
Yes.
You stupid old woman.
Margaret flinched but continued.
Where are you.
You want to help them arrest me.
I want this to end.
It ended eleven years ago when you chose to help me.
Margaret shut her eyes.
I should have called for help.
You did not.
I know.
So do not pretend you are better now.
Margaret whispered.
Where are you.
Eric laughed.
Why.
So Daniel can save everyone again.
Margaret looked toward Ortiz.
She had been instructed to keep him talking.
She said.
Daniel knows about the trust documents.
Silence.
Then Eric.
He always gets everything.
Margaret looked confused.
What.
Dad gave him the company.
Daniel earned his role.
I worked too.
You were twenty.
I was always the second son.
Margaret shook her head.
This was never about being second.
You told me I deserved more.
The room became still.
Margaret looked devastated.
Eric continued.
Every time Dad praised Daniel, you told me I was smarter.
I was trying to encourage you.
You taught me that if the world did not give me what I deserved, I should take it.
Margaret whispered.
I did not teach you to hurt people.
You taught me consequences were negotiable.
Daniel listened from the adjoining room.
That sentence landed harder than he expected.
Eric was responsible for his choices.
But Margaret had helped build the world in which he believed rules bent around him.
Eric said.
Do you know why Dad really wanted me out of the company.
Margaret said nothing.
Because he found the foreign account.
Daniel looked at Ortiz.
New information.
Margaret whispered.
What foreign account.
Eric laughed.
You never knew everything.
The call disconnected.
Ortiz immediately traced the signal.
A highway tower west of the city.
The search area narrowed.
Then Martin Hale remembered something.
Eric owned a hunting cabin under a friends name.
Forty miles west.
Police moved.
They found the cabin empty.
But warm.
A laptop sat on the table.
A shredder was running.
Eric had left minutes earlier.
On the laptop, investigators found an open airline booking.
A commercial flight leaving from a major airport in three hours.
Destination.
Montreal.
From there, another booking continued overseas.
Ortiz coordinated with airport authorities.
Daniel stayed at the hospital.
This time he did not argue.
His place was with Emily and Sophie.
At nine sixteen that evening, Ortiz called.
We have him.
Daniel stood.
Where.
Airport parking structure.
Did he resist.
He tried to run. No one was hurt.
Daniel closed his eyes.
It was over.
At least, he thought it was.
Then Ortiz said.
We recovered the second memory card.
Daniel exhaled.
And something else.
What.
A handwritten list.
Of what.
Names.
Whose names.
Several company employees. Martin. Emily. You.
Daniel waited.
Ortizs voice hardened.
And Sophie.
Beside each name was a dollar amount.
Daniel went cold.
What does that mean.
We do not know yet.
The list may relate to insurance policies.
Daniel sat slowly.
Insurance.
Ortiz continued.
Your brother appears to have purchased corporate key person policies through shell entities.
On me.
Possibly.
Emily.
Possibly.
Sophie.
We are verifying.
Daniel looked toward his daughter.
She was coloring quietly.
He could barely hear Ortiz anymore.
Then she said something that snapped him back.
Daniel, there is one more name on the list.
Who.
May you like
Margaret.
A larger amount than any of the others.
