Chapter 3 - The Officer Who Changed His Story
The officer’s name was Raymond Pike.
Clara remembered him.
Tall.
Gray-eyed.
Soft voice.
He had stood beside her at the hospital and said her father probably died instantly.
She remembered thanking him.
She remembered Julian shaking his hand.
That memory made her nauseous.
Daniel sent the employment records.
Pike joined Mercer Meridian as Director of Corporate Security fifty-nine days after Thomas Ellison died.
His starting compensation was triple his police salary.
Clara stared at the screen.
She had met Pike dozens of times afterward.
At company holiday parties.
At Julian’s birthday.
Once at their own home.
He had eaten food at her table.
“Julian.”
He did not look up.
“Did you hire Raymond Pike?”
Serena’s head snapped toward him.
Julian continued staring at his phone.
“No.”
“He worked for your company.”
“Thousands of people work for my company.”
“He was head of corporate security.”
“I don’t manage every hire.”
Clara laughed once.
“You interviewed your driver personally.”
No response.
“You rejected a receptionist because you didn’t like his shoes.”
Julian’s eyes hardened.
“Careful.”
“Careful?”
Passengers nearby pretended not to listen.
Clara lowered her voice.
“Raymond Pike was the first officer at my father’s crash.”
Julian’s face gave away almost nothing.
Almost.
His left thumb rubbed his wedding ring.
He only did that under severe pressure.
Clara had seen it during lawsuits.
Board negotiations.
Once when a doctor told them their second pregnancy was no longer viable.
She hated herself for noticing.
“You knew.”
“I knew Pike was a former officer.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
“Clara, I’m trying to protect you.”
The words struck her as grotesque.
“From what?”
Julian leaned closer.
“From digging into something you do not understand.”
“My father died.”
“Yes.”
“You knew there were questions.”
“Yes.”
“And you never told me.”
Julian’s voice dropped.
“Because your father made powerful enemies.”
“Who?”
“I’m not saying.”
“You’d rather let me believe his death was an accident for twelve years?”
“Yes.”
The answer stunned her.
Julian seemed to realize it.
He softened his tone.
“Because you were safe.”
Clara stared.
“Safe?”
“As long as you didn’t know.”
“Did you kill him?”
Serena inhaled sharply.
Julian’s expression turned cold.
“No.”
“Did you order someone to?”
“No.”
“Did you know someone would?”
“No.”
“Then what did you know?”
Julian looked at Serena.
“Enough to understand silence was safer.”
Clara followed his gaze.
Serena whispered, “Don’t drag me into this.”
“You’re wearing twelve thousand dollars of stolen money around your neck,” Clara said. “You’re already in it.”
Serena stood suddenly.
“I didn’t steal anything.”
“The necklace was bought with my company card.”
“Julian gave it to me.”
“Then give it back.”
Serena touched it protectively.
“It was a gift.”
“With stolen money.”
Julian snapped, “Clara.”
She ignored him.
“Take it off.”
Serena stared.
Clara stepped closer.
“Now.”
For the first time, Serena obeyed.
Her fingers trembled against the clasp.
She placed the necklace on the table.
Clara picked it up.
Then she put it into a sealed airline valuables pouch.
Julian looked furious.
“What are you doing?”
“Preserving evidence.”
Serena’s mouth fell open.
“You can’t be serious.”
“I’m extremely serious.”
She sealed the pouch.
Wrote the time.
Signed it.
Then asked another crew member to witness.
Julian leaned back.
“This is theater.”
Clara looked at him.
“No.”
She placed the evidence pouch in a locked galley compartment.
“This is documentation.”
Her phone vibrated again.
Daniel.
“Raymond Pike is alive,” he said.
“Where?”
“Upstate New York. Retired.”
“Can you contact him?”
“I already tried.”
“And?”
“His number disconnected five minutes after I called.”
Clara glanced toward Julian.
“Someone warned him.”
“Maybe.”
“Find him.”
“We’re trying.”
Clara lowered her voice.
“Daniel, federal agents are raiding Mercer Meridian.”
“Yes. News outlets are starting to report it.”
“Why?”
“We still don’t know who triggered the investigation.”
“Could my father have?”
“Twelve years ago?”
“No. Something he left.”
Daniel paused.
“That’s possible.”
“Find out.”
“Clara, I need you focused on something else.”
“What?”
“You’re landing in Paris in roughly six hours.”
“Yes.”
“Do not leave the airport with Julian.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“French authorities may want statements.”
“Fine.”
“And there’s another issue.”
Clara waited.
“The Crescent account has begun transferring funds again.”
“To where?”
“That’s what’s strange.”
“Daniel.”
“Payments are reversing.”
“What do you mean?”
“Money is coming back.”
Clara frowned.
“How much?”
“Six million so far.”
“From whom?”
“Multiple accounts.”
“Why would someone return stolen money during a federal raid?”
Daniel exhaled.
“To create a trail.”
“Toward who?”
“You.”
Clara felt cold.
Her forged company was receiving the money.
Her name was on the paperwork.
Her credentials were attached.
If investigators saw the account without context, Clara would appear to be hiding stolen funds.
“It’s a frame.”
“Yes.”
“Julian?”
“I don’t know.”
Clara looked toward him.
He was typing rapidly.
Serena watched.
She looked frightened.
Clara walked toward them.
“Give me your phone.”
Julian laughed.
“Excuse me?”
“Your phone.”
“No.”
“Someone is moving money into Crescent.”
For the first time, Julian looked genuinely confused.
“What?”
“Don’t pretend.”
“How much?”
“Six million.”
Julian stopped smiling.
“To Crescent?”
“Yes.”
He stood so quickly his champagne glass fell.
“Who authorized it?”
Clara stared.
“You tell me.”
Julian grabbed his phone and opened an encrypted banking app.
His face changed.
“What the hell?”
Serena whispered, “Julian?”
He ignored her.
Clara watched his eyes move across the screen.
Then he muttered:
“He’s cleaning it.”
“Who?”
Julian said nothing.
“Who is cleaning it?”
He turned toward the window.
Clara stepped closer.
“You said my father wasn’t killed by you.”
“He wasn’t.”
“You said you were protecting me.”
“I was.”
“Then protect me now.”
Julian looked at her.
For once there was no arrogance.
Only calculation.
“If I tell you his name, you can never unknow it.”
Clara almost laughed.
“My father is dead, my signature is on a fraudulent company, federal agents are raiding your offices, and someone is moving millions into my name.”
She leaned closer.
“I’m past the luxury of ignorance.”
Julian closed his eyes.
Then Serena spoke first.
“Charles.”
Julian turned sharply.
“What did you do?”
Serena looked almost relieved.
“She deserves to know.”
“Serena.”
“No. You said this would never reach us.”
Clara stared between them.
“Charles who?”
Serena answered.
“Charles Mercer.”
Clara frowned.
Julian’s father was named Edward.
His grandfather had been William.
She knew every public branch of the Mercer family.
“There is no Charles Mercer.”
May you like
Julian looked at her.
“That’s the point.”
