Chapter 6 - THE NIGHT DANIEL DISAPPEARED
Vanessa was gone.
So was Richard.
Caleb vanished before dawn.
Daniel's security team found no trace of them.
The police arrived.
But Daniel didn't trust the police.
Not yet.
Someone had already accessed his private medical records.
Someone had accessed his bank accounts.
Someone had attempted to transfer ownership of one of his companies.
And then Daniel received a call from his attorney.
“Daniel, we have a problem.”
“What?”
“Your father amended his trust six years ago.”
“I know.”
“No. You don't.”
Daniel sat down.
“What changed?”
“The beneficiary isn't Vanessa.”
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“Then who?”
The attorney hesitated.
“Grace Parker.”
Daniel went silent.
“What?”
“Your father created a secondary trust in her name.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
“Who has access?”
“Only you.”
Daniel looked across the room.
Grace was standing there.
She looked terrified.
“I didn't know,” she whispered.
Daniel believed her.
But now everyone was connected.
His father.
Grace's father.
Vanessa.
Richard.
Caleb.
And Daniel.
That evening, Daniel decided to leave the mansion.
He wanted Grace and Lily moved somewhere safe.
But before he could arrange it, every light in the house went out.
Then the alarm sounded.
Marcus shouted,
“Sir!”
A crash came from downstairs.
Daniel ran.
A masked man appeared in the hallway.
Daniel tackled him.
They struggled.
The man escaped through the rear door.
Daniel chased him.
Outside, rain poured.
A vehicle sped away.
Daniel stopped.
Something was lying on the ground.
A photograph.
He picked it up.
It showed Grace holding Lily.
On the back:
NEXT TIME, IT'S THE CHILD.
Daniel's blood turned cold.
He ran inside.
“Where's Grace?”
No one answered.
He searched the kitchen.
The pantry.
The bedroom.
Nothing.
Then he heard a child's voice.
“Mommy?”
Daniel froze.
Lily's bedroom door opened.
Grace was inside.
Holding her daughter.
She was crying.
Daniel rushed toward them.
“Are you okay?”
Grace nodded.
Lily clung to her.
Daniel crouched.
“Lily, did you see anyone?”
The little girl shook her head.
Then she whispered,
“A man left something.”
“What?”
She pointed beneath the bed.
Daniel reached underneath.
A small black box.
He opened it.
Inside was a USB drive.
Daniel took it to his study.
The files contained financial records.
Payments.
Offshore transfers.
Photographs.
Names.
Richard.
Vanessa.
Caleb.
And one more name.
Daniel Whitfield Sr.
Daniel stared.
His father had been receiving money.
Millions.
From the same accounts.
“That can't be.”
Grace looked over his shoulder.
“What is it?”
Daniel opened the final file.
A video.
His father appeared on screen.
Older.
Tired.
Terrified.
“Daniel, if you're watching this, then I'm probably dead.”
Daniel's breath caught.
His father's voice continued.
“I need you to understand something. I was not the victim.”
Daniel frowned.
“I was part of it.”
The video stopped.
Daniel stared at the black screen.
Grace whispered,
“What did he mean?”
Before Daniel could answer, the computer screen flickered.
A message appeared.
COME TO THE OLD WHITFIELD WAREHOUSE ALONE.
Then another line appeared.
OR GRACE DIES.
Daniel stood.
Grace grabbed his arm.
“No.”
“I have to go.”
“You'll be killed.”
“Maybe.”
“Daniel.”
He looked at her.
“If I don't go, they come for you and Lily.”
Grace's eyes filled with tears.
“You can't save everyone.”
Daniel picked up his coat.
“No.”
May you like
He looked toward the screen.
“But I can stop running.”
