Chapter 2 - The Missing Money
I dismissed the guests within fifteen minutes.
Nobody argued.
Nobody asked questions.
In Connecticut, people knew when to leave a Whitaker property.
Vanessa didn't.
She stood in the foyer with her arms folded.
“You're overreacting.”
I ignored her.
My attorney, Daniel Cross, entered through the side door carrying a black folder.
He had been with me for twelve years.
He knew better than to speak when I was angry.
“Tell me everything.”
Daniel opened the folder.
“Three accounts were accessed over the past six weeks.”
“How much?”
“Four-point-eight million.”
The room went still.
Vanessa finally spoke.
“That doesn't mean anything.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You knew?”
“I knew nothing.”
I studied her.
“Then why did you answer before I asked?”
She said nothing.
Daniel continued.
“Two transfers went to a company called Vale Holdings.”
My eyes lifted.
“Vale.”
Vanessa's family name.
She shook her head.
“That's my father's company.”
“I know.”
“You think I stole from you?”
“I think someone did.”
Daniel placed another document on the table.
“There is more.”
He pushed forward a bank authorization.
My signature appeared at the bottom.
I stared at it.
It looked perfect.
Too perfect.
I had spent years signing documents.
This wasn't my signature.
It was a copy.
Someone had traced the rhythm.
The pressure.
Even the slight upward curve at the end.
“Who has access to my signature files?”
Daniel answered immediately.
“Three people.”
“Me.”
“Daniel.”
“And Vanessa.”
Vanessa exploded.
“This is insane!”
Daniel didn't react.
I looked toward the staircase.
Sophie was watching from behind the railing.
She quickly disappeared.
I lowered my voice.
“Not here.”
Daniel nodded.
We moved into the study.
I closed the door.
“Did the children see anything?”
Daniel frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“Anything involving Vanessa and my financial records.”
“I don't know.”
“I do.”
I remembered six nights earlier.
Sophie had been walking past the office.
Vanessa had screamed at her.
“What did I tell you about coming in here?”
Sophie had apologized.
I had written it off at the time.
Now I wasn't so sure.
I opened the security archive.
Footage appeared.
Night after night.
Vanessa entering my office.
Sometimes alone.
Sometimes with another man.
I paused the recording.
“Who is that?”
Daniel leaned closer.
“I don't know.”
I enlarged the image.
The man was tall.
Dark-haired.
Wearing a black coat.
He turned toward the camera.
I recognized him.
My stomach tightened.
“Marcus.”
Daniel went silent.
Marcus Vale.
Vanessa's older brother.
A man who had disappeared from Connecticut three years earlier after owing money to people who didn't forgive debts.
I called my security chief.
“Find Marcus Vale.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Anything else?”
I looked at the screen.
“Find out why he's been inside my house.”
The call ended.
Then I heard something outside.
A child's voice.
Sophie.
“I didn't tell Daddy.”
I opened the door.
She stood in the hallway.
Grace was behind her.
“What didn't you tell Daddy?”
Sophie looked frightened.
Vanessa suddenly appeared from the other end of the hallway.
“Sophie!”
My daughter jumped.
I raised a hand.
“Don't.”
Vanessa stopped.
I crouched beside Sophie.
“You can tell me anything.”
She looked at Vanessa.
Then at me.
Finally she whispered:
May you like
“Uncle Marcus told me if I talked, Daddy would die.”
My blood went cold.
