Chapter 8 - The Enemy at My Father’s Table
Victor Dane had sat beside my father for twenty-two years.
He attended my mother’s funeral.
He sent flowers when I married Matthew.
He once told me that I was the daughter he never had.
Now his name appeared across hundreds of documents hidden inside the cane.
The video showed Victor and Matthew meeting in a private room at the Sterling Club.
Matthew placed my forged authorization on the table.
Victor examined the signature and smiled.
“Once Helix owns the patents, Richard will have no choice.”
“He’ll acquire the company to save his daughter’s reputation.”
“And after he does?”
Matthew asked.
“The board removes him.”
Victor poured two glasses of whiskey.
“You take NexusCore.”
“I take Sterling Holdings.”
Matthew looked pleased.
“What happens to Clare?”
Victor’s answer came without hesitation.
“She becomes proof that Richard Sterling failed his own family.”
The recording had been made by Lauren.
She had hidden a camera inside her purse.
“Why would she record them?”
I asked.
Noah answered.
“Insurance.”
Every criminal eventually feared the people standing beside him.
The estate plan revealed something else.
My father intended to leave controlling interest in Sterling Holdings to me.
I stared at the document.
“You never told me.”
“You did not want my money.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“No.”
He looked directly at me.
“It isn’t.”
Richard had kept me as his successor despite our silence.
Victor discovered the plan and realized that even after my father’s death, he would never control the company.
So he targeted the weakest place in our family.
My marriage.
“Did Victor introduce Matthew to the original investors?”
I asked.
My father’s expression gave me the answer.
Seven years earlier, Victor had arranged Matthew’s first serious meeting.
He had encouraged my father to reject the deal.
Then he told Matthew that Richard considered him unworthy.
“He created the fight between us.”
I said.
“He gave Matthew the resentment.”
“And Matthew chose what to do with it.”
My father replied.
He refused to let me excuse the man who had hurt me.
Detective Ortiz received confirmation that Victor had boarded a company jet ninety minutes earlier.
The flight plan listed Zurich.
My father called the Sterling aviation director.
The jet was denied clearance before it reached the runway.
Victor was removed by federal agents.
But Owen was still missing.
Lauren sent another message.
A photograph showed the little boy asleep beneath a gray blanket.
Beside his face was that day’s newspaper.
Matthew’s message followed.
Bring the ledger to Pier 19 at midnight.
Come alone.
Or the boy disappears before sunrise.
Lauren begged us not to involve the police.
Ortiz muted the call.
“He expects us to follow.”
“He expects Lauren to panic.”
My father said.
I looked at the photograph again.
A reflection appeared in the dark window behind Owen.
A red sign was reversed in the glass.
I enlarged the image.
The letters slowly became readable.
BLACKLINE STORAGE FACILITY 6.
May you like
Matthew had not taken the child to the pier.
The pier was a trap.
