Chapter 17 - Three People to Remove
Robert read the spreadsheet twice.
Then a third time.
His face became gray.
Daniel had plans for all three of us.
For me:
Divorce.
Custody leverage.
Property transfer.
For Chloe:
Settlement agreement.
Confidentiality clause.
Termination of financial support.
For Robert:
Corporate succession.
Health-based removal.
Forced retirement.
Robert looked up.
“My health?”
Rachel scrolled through the attached notes.
Daniel had documented Robert’s heart surgery from two years earlier.
His medication.
His missed meetings.
His occasional memory lapses after anesthesia.
Robert sat down.
“He wanted the board to remove me.”
David nodded.
“Then Daniel becomes acting CEO.”
“Which gives him control of the company accounts.”
“And access to collateral.”
Robert closed his eyes.
For the first time, I understood Daniel’s full plan.
He had not been running toward Chloe.
He had been running toward control.
Control of Lily.
Control of my property.
Control of his father’s company.
Chloe had been useful because Marcus connected him to the financial structure.
I had been useful because my property could secure the loan.
Robert had been useful until Daniel no longer needed him.
The affair was real.
But the romance had hidden something colder.
Daniel used people.
Rachel suddenly received a call.
She listened.
Then stood.
“Police found Marcus.”
“Where?”
“At the airport.”
My pulse jumped.
“Leaving?”
“Trying to.”
She grabbed her bag.
“He had two phones and a laptop.”
David stood.
“I’m coming.”
I looked at them.
“So am I.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
David started to argue.
Then stopped.
He knew me well enough by then.
At the police station, we waited nearly three hours.
Finally, a detective emerged.
“Mr. Bennett is cooperating.”
“What did he say?”
The detective looked at me.
“He says Daniel paid him for surveillance.”
I already knew that.
“He also admits helping create the shell companies.”
Robert asked, “And the forged documents?”
“He says Daniel provided the signatures.”
My stomach tightened.
Then the detective continued.
“Mr. Bennett claims he never knew Daniel intended to use medication on anyone.”
Daniel again.
The tea.
The missing pills.
“Does he know who did?”
The detective hesitated.
“He says Chloe’s medication was never taken by Daniel.”
I frowned.
“Then where did it go?”
“He claims someone else picked it up.”
“Who?”
The detective opened his notes.
“A woman.”
“What woman?”
“He didn’t know her name.”
“Description?”
“Mid-sixties.”
My mind raced.
Patricia was sixty-four.
No.
I rejected the thought instantly.
Then the detective added:
“Gray hair.”
“Approximately five foot five.”
“Drove a dark blue Lexus.”
Robert slowly turned toward me.
May you like
Patricia drove a dark blue Lexus.
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