Chapter 3 - The Attorney Who Arrived Too Quickly
Marcus Vale should not have known about the hospital.
The ambulance had left the Hale estate less than ninety minutes earlier. The police had not announced an arrest. Daniel had not called anyone except the hospital and his neighbor.
Yet Marcus stood in the emergency room as though he had been invited.
Detective Quinn studied him.
“Who are you?”
“Marcus Vale. Attorney for Victoria Hale and the Hale Foundation.”
Victoria’s shoulders relaxed slightly.
Marcus removed a business card from his coat.
“I am here to ensure Mrs. Hale’s rights are respected.”
Detective Quinn did not take the card.
“How did you know she required an attorney?”
Marcus smiled.
“Mrs. Hale called me.”
“She has not had access to her phone since officers entered the room.”
For the first time, his expression shifted.
Only slightly.
But Daniel saw it.
Marcus looked toward Evan.
Evan looked away.
Detective Quinn reached for Victoria’s purse, which rested on a chair near the wall.
“Did you call him before coming in here?”
Victoria did not answer.
The detective opened the purse and removed a phone.
The screen showed one outgoing call made twelve minutes before Lily’s recorded statement.
Marcus Vale.
“She contacted me as a precaution,” Marcus said.
“A precaution against what?” Daniel asked.
Marcus ignored him.
Victoria lifted her chin again.
“My granddaughter suffered an allergic reaction. Daniel failed to have the required medication available. Naturally, I knew the family might require legal protection.”
“You stole the medication,” Daniel said.
“Allegedly,” Marcus corrected.
“The injector was found in her locked drawer.”
“In a home where dozens of staff members have access.”
“The drawer required a key.”
“Keys can be copied.”
Lily shifted beneath the blanket.
Daniel noticed her eyes beginning to close.
He bent toward her.
“You should sleep.”
She shook her head weakly.
“No. They’ll change the story.”
Daniel felt a sharp ache in his chest.
Detective Quinn crouched beside the bed.
“Lily, nobody is going to change what you told us. We recorded it.”
“Grandma deletes things.”
Victoria’s face tightened.
“What does she delete?” Quinn asked.
“Videos.”
“Which videos?”
“The ones from the house.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“This interview is over. The child is medicated and clearly distressed.”
“You do not represent the child,” Quinn replied.
“I represent her grandmother.”
“Then advise your client to remain silent.”
The detective turned back to Lily.
“What videos did your grandmother delete?”
Lily looked at Daniel.
“Mom’s videos.”
The room seemed to shrink.
Daniel took a step closer.
“What videos of Mom?”
Lily’s eyes filled with confusion.
“The ones in the hidden room.”
Daniel stared at her.
“What hidden room?”
Victoria moved again.
The officer caught her arm.
“Do not touch me,” she snapped.
Marcus’s calm expression disappeared.
“Victoria, say nothing else.”
Detective Quinn stood.
“I think it is time we continue this conversation at the station.”
The officer secured Victoria’s wrists.
She looked less frightened than furious.
As he led her toward the door, she turned to Daniel.
“You have no idea what Emily did before she died.”
Daniel felt the words like a blade.
“What did she do?”
Victoria smiled coldly.
“She chose the wrong person to trust.”
Then she was gone.
Marcus followed, but not before leaning close to Evan.
“Do not make another mistake,” he murmured.
Detective Quinn heard him.
“So there was a first mistake?”
Marcus straightened.
“I was speaking privately to a client.”
“Mr. Bennett is not your client.”
“Not anymore.”
Evan watched Marcus leave.
Daniel moved toward his brother.
“What did he mean?”
Evan rubbed both hands over his face.
“I used to work for the foundation.”
“I know that.”
“No. You know I handled donor relations. You don’t know what I actually did.”
“Then tell me.”
Evan glanced at Lily.
“Not here.”
Daniel’s anger surged.
“My daughter nearly died because of something you helped start. You do not get to decide where we talk.”
“I didn’t know Victoria would poison her.”
Daniel grabbed the front of Evan’s shirt.
The police officer stepped back into the room.
“Sir.”
Daniel released him but did not move away.
“What documents were you searching for?”
Evan’s breathing was shallow.
“Emily discovered money was being transferred through fake medical programs. Millions of dollars. The foundation claimed it was funding treatment for children overseas, but most of the clinics didn’t exist.”
Daniel remembered Emily sitting at their kitchen table late at night, surrounded by folders.
She had told him the work involved a grant proposal.
He had believed her.
“She never told me.”
“She was trying to protect you.”
“From her own mother?”
“From everyone.”
Evan glanced toward the hall where Marcus had disappeared.
“Especially him.”
Detective Quinn returned and closed the door.
“Mr. Bennett, you need to come with us.”
Evan nodded.
“I will.”
Daniel stared at the guardianship petition still in his hand.
“Why did you sign this?”
Evan looked at Lily, then at Daniel.
“Victoria told me you were planning to leave the country with her.”
“That is a lie.”
“I know that now.”
“You were willing to take my child because someone told you a story?”
“It wasn’t only a story. She showed me medical records, police reports, photographs.”
“I have never been arrested.”
“I know.”
“Then what did she show you?”
Evan’s voice dropped.
“Documents with your name on them.”
Detective Quinn reached for the custody petition.
“When was this filed?”
“This morning.”
Daniel examined the court stamp.
The petition had indeed been filed that morning, hours before Lily ate the contaminated dessert.
The realization struck all of them at the same time.
The guardianship application had not been a reaction to the medical emergency.
It had been prepared in advance.
Victoria had expected Daniel to be blamed for Lily’s condition.
Perhaps she had expected him to be arrested.
Perhaps she had expected something worse.
Detective Quinn folded the document.
“This was planned.”
Evan closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Daniel looked at him.
“How much did you know?”
“Not enough.”
“That is not an answer.”
Evan lowered his voice.
“I knew Victoria wanted Lily removed from your care tonight.”
Daniel took another step toward him.
“And after that?”
May you like
Evan’s eyes opened.
“After that, Daniel, you were not supposed to make it home.”
