Chapter 13 - The Confession That Wasn't Enough
Vanessa changed her plea strategy the next morning.
She agreed to cooperate.
Not because she suddenly became remorseful.
Because Thomas had lied to her.
Ortiz spent seven hours interviewing her.
Claire did not attend.
She received the summary afterward.
Vanessa admitted almost everything connected to Lily.
She admitted staging arguments.
Editing videos.
Feeding Grant false information.
Taking Lily to an evaluator under false pretenses.
Helping forge Claire's signature.
Helping prepare the haircut confrontation.
She also admitted Evelyn had paid her one hundred eighty thousand dollars through consulting companies.
But she denied knowing anything about Michael Sullivan's death.
She denied knowing Eric Donnelly.
She denied helping Thomas fake his death.
And she insisted Richard Vale had been terrified of his own son.
"Why?" Claire asked.
Ortiz answered, "Vanessa claims Thomas knew about financial crimes Richard and Evelyn committed."
"Money laundering?"
"Possibly."
"Through Bennett Capital?"
"Possibly."
"What does Thomas want?"
"Control."
"Of what?"
"That is less clear."
Claire looked at Lily playing in Maya's conference room.
"Why Lily's trust?"
"Leverage. Money. Company control."
"That's what Evelyn wanted."
"Thomas may want something else."
Claire hated answers containing may.
She wanted certainty.
She received some from Richard Vale.
He regained consciousness.
His first request was police protection.
His second was to speak with federal investigators.
His third was to see Grant.
Grant refused until Claire agreed to come too.
They met in a guarded hospital room.
Richard looked nothing like the powerful attorney Claire remembered.
Bruises covered his face.
One arm was immobilized.
He had difficulty speaking.
But his mind seemed clear.
Grant stood at the foot of the bed.
"Where is Thomas?"
Richard laughed weakly.
"If I knew, I wouldn't be here."
Claire remained near the door.
"Did you forge my father's trust amendment?"
Richard closed his eyes.
"Yes."
Grant looked away.
Claire felt no surprise.
Only confirmation.
"Did Evelyn tell you to?"
"Yes."
"Did my father know?"
"No."
"Did you kill him?"
Richard opened his eyes.
"No."
"Did Evelyn?"
"No."
Claire stared.
"Then what happened?"
Richard took a slow breath.
"Michael died of natural complications."
Claire did not believe him.
Richard continued.
"But we planned to use his death."
The distinction was disgusting.
He explained.
Michael had discovered financial irregularities connecting Bennett Capital to offshore entities.
Some were created by Richard.
Some by Evelyn.
Thomas had uncovered them too.
At first Thomas threatened to expose his father.
Then he saw opportunity.
"He wanted in," Richard whispered.
"Into what?"
"The money."
Grant stared.
"You helped your son fake his death?"
Richard's face twisted.
"No."
"Then who did?"
"Evelyn."
Claire stepped closer.
Richard looked at her.
"Thomas told Evelyn that federal investigators were closing in. He convinced her he needed to disappear."
"And Eric Donnelly?"
Richard's eyes filled with tears.
"I didn't know."
"That's not an answer."
"I knew Thomas planned something at the lake. I didn't know someone would die."
"Did Evelyn?"
"I don't know."
Grant asked, "Why did Thomas become trust protector?"
"Michael trusted him for about forty-eight hours."
Claire frowned.
Richard continued.
"Thomas told Michael the truth about some of our financial activity. Not all of it. Just enough to make Michael believe Thomas wanted to stop us."
"He manipulated my father."
"Yes."
"Then Michael recorded that message."
Richard nodded.
"Thomas probably expected Michael to survive."
"But he didn't."
"No."
"And you forged the amendment naming Evelyn."
Richard looked ashamed.
"Yes."
Grant said, "Why?"
"Because Evelyn needed a path to the shares."
Claire asked, "Why wait years?"
"Because the company wasn't worth enough."
There it was.
Not family.
Not love.
Value.
"When Bennett Urban expanded, the shares became worth hundreds of millions."
Richard nodded.
"Evelyn wanted control. Thomas wanted something else."
"What?"
Richard looked toward the door.
"Protection."
"From who?"
Richard laughed again.
"Everyone."
Claire stared.
"That makes no sense."
"Thomas spent six years building insurance."
"What kind of insurance?"
"Evidence. Accounts. Secrets."
"Against Evelyn?"
"Against me. Evelyn. Grant. Politicians. Bankers."
Grant frowned.
"Against me?"
Richard looked at him.
"You were never part of the crimes."
"Then why?"
"Because your name opens doors."
Grant's face hardened.
"Where is Thomas?"
Richard whispered, "He'll come for the trust documents."
"They're copies."
"Not the ones he wants."
Claire stepped forward.
"What does he want?"
Richard looked directly at her.
"The original protector letter."
"What is that?"
Richard hesitated.
"Michael signed a private instruction to Thomas."
Claire's heart raced.
"What did it say?"
"I never saw it."
"Then how do you know it exists?"
"Thomas told me."
"What authority does it give him?"
Richard shook his head.
"I don't know."
Grant said, "Where is it?"
Richard looked at Claire.
"Michael hid it."
"Where?"
"Thomas believes Claire has it."
Claire stared at him.
"I don't."
Richard whispered, "Then he believes your daughter does."
Claire's face went cold.
"Lily?"
Richard closed his eyes.
"He thinks Michael left something with Lily before he died."
Claire could barely speak.
"Lily was two."
"I know."
"He thinks a two-year-old has some legal document?"
"No."
Richard looked at her.
"He thinks Michael hid it inside something he gave her."
Claire suddenly remembered the package.
Goodnight Moon.
Her father's favorite book to read Lily.
The memory card hidden inside its spine.
Michael had hidden one thing inside a children's book.
Perhaps not only one.
Claire turned toward Grant.
He understood at the same moment.
Lily owned dozens of books her grandfather had given her.
And most were still stored in one place.
Claire's old family house.
The house had been empty since Michael died.
Claire had never sold it.
She drove there before anyone could stop her.
Grant followed.
Police followed behind them.
When they arrived, the front door was open.
Claire's heart sank.
May you like
Inside, books covered the living-room floor.
Someone had already been searching.
