Chapter 6 - The Man Daniel Needed Guilty.
Elaine refused to enter the suite until the security officer promised Daniel was still downstairs.
Even then, she stood near the open door.
Jennifer recognized that posture.
It was not guilt alone.
It was fear learned over time.
“If that is not Owen's, whose is it?”
“Then why did you say Daniel uses Owen's name?”
“Owen resigned because of the audit file.”
“He resigned because Daniel told him the company would accuse him of taking it.”
“The audit file really was missing.”
“Daniel had it.”
“How old was Daniel then?”
“Twenty-five.”
Jennifer asked Elaine the question that mattered most.
“Why help him?”
“At first, I didn't know I was helping him do anything illegal.”
“He asked for copies.”
“He asked for signatures from archived contracts.”
“He asked me to recreate letterhead because he said a bank needed consistent historical records.”
“Then he asked me to witness Jennifer's authorization.”
“I refused.”
“Margaret gave you twelve thousand dollars.”
“Yes.”
“Did you take it?”
“I told myself I was being paid to confirm a signature Daniel said was real.”
“But you never saw me sign it.”
“No.”
“I know.”
“That is why I copied everything I could before I left him.”
Elaine explained that after becoming suspicious, she began recording Daniel's instructions during meetings.
We don't need Richard to sign the resignation if the bank believes he did.
One old man saying “I didn't sign that” will sound exactly like the reason he had to step down.
Daniel had intended to use his father's credibility against him, then use any denial as evidence of decline.
“I should have gone to Richard then.”
“Yes,” Jennifer said.
“I know.”
Richard asked, “Where is Owen?”
“He contacted me last month.”
“He had been following money that passed through companies using his name.”
“He said someone reopened an account connected to his former consulting license.”
“Why warn me?”
“Because Owen thought Daniel was preparing to blame both of you if Stonewake demanded payment.”
“Both of us?”
It claimed Jennifer had created North Birch Holdings to conceal funds from her struggling business.
It stated that Richard, experiencing memory problems, had given Daniel informal permission to use Hale Harbor House as collateral.
Elaine whispered, “He built different stories for different outcomes.”
“He planned to survive everyone.”
“Where is Owen now?”
“He said he was coming to the hotel.”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
“Why?”
“He wanted to give Richard the original ledger.”
“The ledger with our initials.”
“He called it the master ledger.”
“Then we find him.”
But a camera near the service entrance had captured a man matching Owen's description entering at 6:42 p.m.
At 7:03, another camera showed him getting into an elevator with Daniel.
At 7:11, Daniel returned to the ballroom alone.
For the possibility that something had happened in the gap between 7:03 and 7:11.
“Where does that elevator go?”
“Guest floors, conference level, and parking level B2.”
“Show us B2.”
At 7:06, the elevator doors opened.
Daniel walked toward a black sedan, opened the trunk, removed a red document box, and returned to the elevator.
Daniel had been back upstairs before the christening dinner began.
“What is that?”
“You know.”
“Owen kept his originals in a red fireproof case.”
“Where is the case now?”
Only the hand and a dark sleeve were visible.
Daniel stepped back.
He looked angry.
Then the doors shut without him.
Richard whispered, “Someone took it.”
Jennifer stared at the frozen image.
May you like
On the wrist above the hand was a narrow gold bracelet.
Margaret wore one exactly like it.
