Chapter 16 - Jonathan Mercer
Daniel was arrested before he could say more.
Two security officers forced him to the floor and removed the stolen access badge.
Khloe barely noticed.
She was staring at Gabriel.
“My father died in an accident.”
Gabriel’s silence terrified her.
“Tell me.”
Marcus stood beside her.
“Gabriel.”
Khloe raised her voice.
“Tell me.”
Gabriel sat down slowly.
“Your father suspected Richard was diverting money from the partnership.”
Khloe felt numb.
“When?”
“Eight years ago.”
“My father died eight years ago.”
“Yes.”
“Did you know before he died?”
Gabriel closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Khloe stared at the man who had practically raised her after Jonathan’s death.
“You lied to me too.”
“I protected you.”
“Stop calling lies protection.”
The words hit both Gabriel and Marcus.
Neither man responded.
Gabriel continued.
“Jonathan planned to force Richard out.”
“He created the trust clause because he wanted the next generation to regain Mercer control.”
“Then he died.”
“His car left the road outside Greenwich.”
Khloe’s voice became barely audible.
“Was it an accident?”
“We never proved otherwise.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“No.”
Gabriel swallowed.
“I never believed it was.”
Marcus sat down.
His face was devastated.
“You thought my father killed Jonathan?”
“I thought your father knew more than he admitted.”
Khloe’s hands shook.
“And you let me marry Marcus?”
“I had no evidence against Marcus.”
“You had suspicions about his father.”
“You said nothing.”
“I thought the feud had ended.”
Khloe laughed bitterly.
“Clearly.”
Detective Price entered.
Daniel had agreed to cooperate.
Not from conscience.
From survival.
He had preserved years of financial records as insurance against Richard.
Those records showed embezzlement.
Bribery.
Fraud.
And payments to private investigators who had followed Jonathan Mercer during the months before his death.
Marcus looked physically sick.
“My father did this?”
Gabriel nodded.
“At minimum, he had Jonathan watched.”
Khloe pressed a hand against her chest.
Then Price placed a sealed evidence bag on the table.
Inside was an old flash drive.
“Daniel kept this.”
“What is it?”
“A copy of a file he says Richard ordered destroyed seven years ago.”
Khloe stared at it.
“What file?”
Price answered carefully.
“Traffic camera footage from the night your father died.”
The room became completely silent.
Khloe looked at Gabriel.
“You never saw this?”
“No.”
Price connected the drive.
The grainy footage appeared.
Jonathan Mercer’s car moved through an intersection.
Thirty seconds later, another vehicle followed.
A black sedan.
Price froze the frame.
Marcus leaned closer.
The license plate was visible.
His face drained of color.
Khloe whispered.
“Whose car was that?”
Marcus could barely speak.
May you like
“My father’s.”
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