Chapter 6 - The Conversation That Should Not Exist.
Daniel reached the hidden recorder before Mason could.
Mason moved toward the shelf.
Caroline stepped in front of him.
“Enough.”
Mason stopped.
The look he gave her contained no friendship.
No respect.
Only warning.
Daniel removed the recorder and found a date label on the back.
It had been activated three nights before Claire’s death.
He pressed the playback button.
Static filled the office.
Then Claire’s voice appeared.
She sounded tired.
“You told me Northstar was temporary.”
A man answered.
Mason.
“It was supposed to be.”
Claire replied, “Four million dollars is not temporary.”
Another voice entered the recording.
Paul Vance.
“You are making this more dramatic than it is.”
Daniel’s hands tightened around the device.
Claire continued.
“You forged Daniel’s approval.”
Paul answered calmly.
“We corrected an administrative obstacle.”
Mason said, “Claire, go home.”
“Forget what you saw.”
Claire laughed once, without humor.
“You mean forget that you are stealing from my husband and planning to use my daughter’s trust as collateral?”
Daniel looked at Mason.
Mason’s face had gone gray.
The recording continued.
Claire said one final sentence before the file ended.
“If anything happens to me, I made copies.”
The room became silent.
Daniel stopped the recorder.
“What happened to her?”
Mason’s jaw tightened.
“You know what happened.”
“I know what the police report said.”
Mason looked toward the windows.
“Claire drove too fast on a wet road.”
Caroline stood.
“That’s not what you told me.”
Daniel turned toward her.
Caroline’s eyes were wet now.
Mason spoke before she could continue.
“Be very careful.”
Caroline ignored him.
“Three weeks after Claire died, Mason came to me.”
“He said she had been planning to destroy the company.”
“He showed me documents that made it look like Daniel would lose everything if the trust investigation became public.”
Daniel stared at her.
“And you believed him?”
“I wanted to.”
The words sounded painfully small.
Caroline took a breath.
“He said Sophie would be left with nothing.”
“He said the only way to protect her was to keep Northstar alive until the accounts could be repaired.”
Daniel looked at the false passport.
“And the plan to take Sophie?”
Caroline lowered her eyes.
“That part was mine.”
Daniel felt anger rise again.
“You forged my signature.”
“I did.”
“You created another identity for my child.”
“Yes.”
“You put your hand over her mouth when she saw you.”
Caroline’s voice broke.
“Yes.”
Daniel did not soften.
“Why?”
“Because Paul called me this morning.”
“He said Daniel Mercer would be arrested by the end of the day for the Northstar transfers.”
“He said Sophie would go into emergency custody unless I moved her first.”
Daniel turned slowly toward Mason.
Mason said nothing.
Daniel’s prepaid phone rang upstairs.
Mrs. Alvarez answered, then shouted his name from the hallway.
“Mr. Mercer!”
Daniel opened the office door.
She stood at the top of the stairs holding the phone.
“A detective is asking for you.”
Her face was pale.
May you like
“He says there is a warrant for your arrest.”
The Bag Beside the Chair
