Chapter 6 - THE HUNTING LODGE
Police reached the hunting lodge shortly before sunrise.
The building stood alone among miles of dark pine trees.
Grant Mercer’s vehicle was hidden behind an equipment shed.
Officers surrounded the property.
Cole used a loudspeaker to order Grant outside.
No one answered.
Inside the lodge, Grant stood over a metal barrel filled with burning documents.
His phone rang.
Charles Whitmore’s name appeared on the screen.
Grant answered.
“You said the house would be clear.”
Charles’s voice was low and controlled.
“You failed.”
“The maid is still alive.”
“And Emma?”
“Also alive.”
Grant looked toward the windows.
Police lights moved between the trees.
“They found me.”
Charles remained silent.
Grant understood what that silence meant.
“You are abandoning me.”
“You were paid to handle problems.”
“I handled Bell.”
“That was your decision.”
Grant’s face twisted.
“You ordered it.”
The call ended.
Grant hurled the phone across the room.
Outside, Cole heard the sound of breaking glass.
A window opened.
Grant fired into the air to frighten the officers away.
No one moved closer.
Cole continued speaking calmly.
“Grant, the property is surrounded.”
“Put down the weapon and come outside.”
Grant backed toward the rear door.
He opened it and found Park waiting beyond the porch.
“Drop it.”
Grant froze.
For several seconds, he considered running.
Then he looked at the officers closing in from both sides.
His weapon fell to the ground.
Inside, investigators extinguished the fire.
Most of the documents were destroyed.
However, a locked case beneath the floorboards remained intact.
It contained copies of foundation accounts, photographs of Thomas Bell meeting Charles, and a bloodstained cuff link engraved with the initials C.W.
At the hospital, Emma listened as Cole explained the discovery.
“Does that prove Charles killed Thomas?” she asked.
“Not by itself.”
“But Grant is talking.”
Daniel leaned forward.
“What is he saying?”
“He admits he followed Bell from the mansion.”
“He claims Charles ordered him to recover a financial ledger.”
“Bell refused.”
“There was a struggle near the bridge.”
“Grant says Bell fell and Charles ordered him to make it look like a car accident.”
Daniel looked physically ill.
“My father was there?”
“According to Grant.”
Emma stared at the ceiling.
Thomas Bell had been the person who first warned her about the foundation.
Two days before his death, he had sent her a message asking to meet.
She had been out of town and never replied.
For months, guilt had followed her.
Now she understood why he had been silenced.
Cole placed an evidence photograph on the table.
It showed a half-burned page recovered from the barrel.
Emma recognized the numbers immediately.
“That is one of the offshore accounts.”
Cole nodded.
“The account was opened under Daniel’s name.”
Daniel looked at Emma.
“They planned to blame everything on me.”
“Yes,” Emma said.
“And when you were arrested, Margaret and Vanessa planned to take control of the family companies.”
Daniel’s voice grew quiet.
“They wanted our child as leverage.”
Emma turned toward him.
“They wanted everything.”
The door opened.
A nurse entered with a serious expression.
“Mrs. Whitmore, your blood pressure has risen.”
“You need to rest.”
Cole gathered the files.
“We have enough to arrest Grant.”
“But Charles and Vanessa will claim he acted alone.”
Emma shook her head.
“Vanessa will not stay silent.”
“She cannot stand the idea of someone else controlling the story.”
Cole paused.
“What are you suggesting?”
Emma’s gaze became steady.
“Let her believe the memory card was damaged.”
“Let her believe Rosa is too frightened to testify.”
“Then wait.”
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“Vanessa will try to destroy the remaining evidence herself.”
“And when she does, we will be watching.”
