Chapter 5 - What Really Happened to His FatherDaniel heard Marcus's voice through the tiny earpiece hidden beneath his collar.
Stay calm.
Victor Kane smiled.
“You were always the disciplined son.”
Daniel said nothing.
Victor lifted his drink.
“Robert talked about you constantly.”
“My father thought you were dead.”
Victor laughed.
“Officially, I am.”
Daniel glanced toward Evelyn.
She looked almost relieved now that Victor was present.
“How long has my mother known?”
Victor smiled.
“Long enough.”
“Since before Dad died?”
Evelyn answered.
“Yes.”
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“Did you kill him?”
Julian shifted nervously.
Victor looked amused.
“Direct.”
“You said he made the wrong decision.”
“He did.”
“What decision?”
Victor placed his glass down.
“Your father developed a conscience.”
Daniel stared.
“He discovered I had expanded our transportation contracts beyond legitimate cargo.”
“Smuggling.”
Victor shrugged.
“Commerce.”
“Illegal commerce.”
“Governments invent labels.”
Daniel ignored him.
“Dad wanted out.”
“He wanted to go to federal authorities.”
Daniel looked at his mother.
“And you knew?”
Evelyn lifted her chin.
“Your father was going to destroy everything.”
“Our family?”
“Our future.”
Daniel felt nauseated.
“So you helped Victor?”
“I tried to reason with Robert.”
“What happened?”
Evelyn's confidence faltered.
Victor answered.
“He refused.”
Daniel's hands clenched.
“Did you kill him?”
Victor smiled faintly.
“Your father's heart stopped.”
“How?”
Nobody answered.
Marcus whispered through the earpiece.
Keep him talking.
Daniel leaned forward.
“What did you give him?”
Evelyn suddenly looked at Victor.
Victor's smile disappeared.
“Careful.”
Daniel caught it.
“Something caused his heart attack.”
Victor studied him.
“Your military people taught you persistence.”
“My father taught me.”
That irritated Victor.
“He also taught you sentimentality.”
Daniel stood.
Julian moved.
Victor lifted a hand.
“Sit down, Julian.”
Daniel remained standing.
“I won't sign anything.”
Victor sighed.
“Then this becomes unnecessarily unpleasant.”
“Like what you did to Maya?”
Evelyn's face tightened.
Victor looked at her.
“You were specifically told not to damage the girl.”
Daniel's vision darkened.
Girl.
As though Maya were an object.
Evelyn answered defensively.
“She resisted.”
Victor looked disgusted.
“Of course she resisted.”
Julian stepped forward.
“She threatened to call police.”
Daniel faced him.
“So you hit my pregnant wife?”
Julian's bravado disappeared.
“It wasn't like that.”
“What was it like?”
“She wouldn't cooperate.”
Daniel took one slow step.
Victor stood.
“Daniel.”
Daniel stopped.
Marcus whispered.
Don't engage.
Victor smiled.
“You're angry.”
“Yes.”
“Useful emotion. Poor strategy.”
Daniel forced himself to sit.
Victor slid the paperwork across the table.
“Sign.”
“No.”
“Your wife is currently somewhere we haven't located.”
Daniel's blood chilled.
Victor continued.
“But we will.”
Daniel remained expressionless.
“And when we do?”
Victor smiled.
“You already know.”
Daniel's hand moved toward the pen.
Evelyn relaxed.
Julian looked relieved.
Victor watched.
Daniel picked it up.
Then his phone rang.
Marcus hadn't planned that.
Daniel frowned.
Unknown number.
Victor gestured.
“Answer.”
Daniel did.
“Hello?”
A woman's voice spoke.
“Captain Williams?”
“Yes.”
“This is Richmond Memorial Hospital.”
Daniel's stomach tightened.
Victor's expression changed.
“We've had an emergency involving your wife.”
Daniel stood instantly.
“What happened?”
The call continued.
“We need you here.”
Daniel looked at Victor.
For the first time, panic entered Victor's eyes.
“Where is Maya?” Daniel demanded.
Victor stood.
“I don't know.”
Daniel rushed toward the door.
Julian blocked him.
“You're signing first.”
Daniel shoved him aside.
Not violently.
Enough.
Victor said, “Let him go.”
Daniel drove away.
Once beyond the property, Marcus's voice came through.
“Daniel, the hospital call was ours.”
Daniel exhaled.
“Don't ever do that again.”
“Needed you out.”
“Why?”
“We have enough.”
Daniel gripped the wheel.
“For arrests?”
“For conspiracy, fraud, assault, coercion, financial crimes.”
“And Dad?”
“Not yet.”
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“We need proof.”
Marcus continued.
“Victor's people are moving.”
“What does that mean?”
“Someone accessed Maya's hospital records.”
Daniel's heart stopped.
“How?”
“Corrupt employee.”
“Maya?”
“Already moved.”
“To where?”
“Safe location.”
Daniel closed his eyes briefly.
“Good.”
Then Marcus said something worse.
“Daniel, Julian left the house five minutes after you.”
Daniel checked the mirror.
No vehicle.
“Following me?”
“Not anymore.”
“Where did he go?”
“We lost him.”
Daniel cursed.
At the safe facility, Maya greeted Daniel anxiously.
He held her.
Carefully.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Daniel placed his hand against her belly.
A small movement pressed against his palm.
Daniel smiled.
“That was…”
“She kicks when I'm nervous.”
“Then I'm going to spend the rest of my life trying to keep you calm.”
Maya laughed through tears.
It was the first time he'd heard her laugh since returning.
Marcus entered.
His face was grave.
“We found something.”
He handed Daniel a file.
Robert Williams's old medical records.
A toxicology result had been amended after death.
The original showed traces of a medication capable of causing fatal cardiac complications in specific doses.
The person who requested the amendment?
A physician paid through an account connected to Victor.
Daniel stared.
“This proves it?”
“Not murder.”
“But enough to reopen.”
Maya squeezed Daniel's hand.
Then a security alarm sounded.
Marcus immediately turned.
“What happened?”
A guard spoke through the radio.
“Unauthorized vehicle at east entrance.”
Daniel's heart accelerated.
A second voice.
“Driver breached gate.”
Marcus pulled Daniel behind cover.
“Stay here.”
Maya's face turned white.
Outside, tires screeched.
Then silence.
Minutes passed.
A guard returned.
“Vehicle abandoned.”
“Driver?”
“Gone.”
They searched the SUV.
Inside, Daniel found his father's watch.
The one Julian had been wearing.
It sat on the passenger seat.
Beneath it was a handwritten note.
Daniel unfolded it.
Three words.
MAYA FOR THE FILES.
Daniel looked at Marcus.
“What files?”
Maya suddenly went pale.
“I know.”
Daniel turned.
“What?”
“There was something I never told them I found.”
Maya's voice trembled.
“Your father left documents hidden inside the house.”
Daniel stared.
“Where?”
“In the nursery.”
Marcus immediately called officers.
But before they could reach the house, a report came through.
Fire.
May you like
Daniel's home was burning.
And whatever secret Robert Williams had hidden inside the nursery was burning with it.
