Chapter 7 - Richard Vale Arrives
Richard Vale entered Nathan’s home as though he owned it.
Perhaps he believed he did.
He was sixty-three, perfectly dressed, silver-haired, and calm enough to make everyone else nervous.
Two attorneys entered behind him.
Four private security men remained outside.
Victoria walked toward him.
“Dad.”
Richard looked at the bruise beginning to form near Grace’s shoulder.
Then at Lily.
Nothing changed in his face.
Nathan noticed.
“You already knew she was here.”
Richard removed his gloves.
“I knew Grace had returned to California.”
“You knew Lily was my daughter.”
“I knew there was a claim.”
Grace stood.
“She isn’t a claim.”
Richard looked at her for the first time.
“You were paid to disappear.”
Nathan stepped between them.
“She was threatened.”
Richard shrugged.
“People remember history differently when money runs out.”
Grace’s face flushed.
“I never took your money.”
Richard’s expression flickered.
Nathan caught it.
“What money?”
Richard ignored him.
One of his attorneys stepped forward.
“Mr. Cole, the underground archive is currently subject to a commercial lien.”
Daniel laughed.
“That’s nonsense.”
The attorney produced documents.
Cole Meridian had guaranteed a private loan seventeen years earlier.
The lender was Vale Capital.
The collateral description included physical records stored on residential property.
Nathan looked at Daniel.
“Can they do this?”
“Possibly.”
Richard smiled.
“Your father owed me.”
Nathan held up Charles’s letter.
“My father said you manufactured the debt.”
Richard’s smile disappeared.
Victoria looked alarmed.
Nathan continued.
“He also said the evidence is downstairs.”
Richard’s eyes moved toward the library.
Only for one second.
But Nathan saw it.
“So you are afraid of that room.”
Richard laughed.
“I’m afraid of nothing.”
Grace spoke.
“Then why did you send Victoria to find the key?”
Richard turned toward his daughter.
Victoria’s face tightened.
He had not known about the attack.
Nathan understood immediately.
Victoria had acted without permission.
That made her dangerous in a different way.
Richard walked closer to Nathan.
“You are emotional.”
Nathan said nothing.
“You found out you may have a daughter.”
“She is my daughter.”
“Prove it.”
“I will.”
Richard lowered his voice.
“And if she is?”
Nathan stared back.
Richard continued.
“Then think very carefully about what you destroy while trying to punish the dead.”
Nathan glanced toward Lily.
The child was holding Grace’s hand.
Richard followed his gaze.
“For four generations, your family built something larger than one child.”
Nathan’s voice turned cold.
“That child has a name.”
Richard smiled.
“So did every employee whose paycheck your father was trying to protect.”
Nathan stepped closer.
“Get out of my house.”
Richard nodded toward the attorneys.
They gathered their papers.
Then he looked at Grace.
“You should have stayed gone.”
Lily moved behind her mother.
Nathan saw it.
He walked between Richard and Lily.
Richard smiled again.
“You finally learned to stand in front of her.”
Then he left.
Daniel waited until the front door closed.
“What did he mean by that?”
Nathan didn’t answer.
May you like
Grace did.
“He was there the night your father made me disappear.”
