Chapter 14 - THE LAST NAME ON THE LIST
Three days later, Daniel walked back into Carter Aerospace.
The building felt different.
Every glass wall looked suspicious.
Every friendly face felt rehearsed.
Federal investigators occupied two conference rooms.
Marcus was in custody.
Eric was under guard at the hospital.
Vanessa had agreed to cooperate.
But Claire’s warning remained.
Someone else.
Closer than Eric.
Daniel entered his office.
Mia sat in his chair.
He stopped.
“What are you doing here?”
Rachel stood near the window.
“She refused to stay home.”
Mia spun in the chair.
“I’m investigating.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You’re nine.”
“Exactly. Nobody suspects me.”
Daniel looked at Rachel.
Rachel shrugged.
“She has a point.”
“No, she doesn’t.”
Mia held up a yellow legal pad.
“I made a list.”
Daniel sighed.
“Of course you did.”
She read names.
“Uncle Eric. Bad.”
“Accurate.”
“Marcus. Very bad.”
“Also accurate.”
“Vanessa. Confusing.”
Daniel almost smiled.
“Extremely.”
“And Grandma.”
Daniel stopped.
“What?”
Mia looked up.
“Grandma knows everything about the company.”
Daniel’s mother, Evelyn Carter, had managed Carter Aerospace finances with Daniel’s father for twenty-five years before retiring.
Daniel stared at Mia.
“No.”
Mia frowned.
“You told me not to ignore stuff just because it hurts.”
He had.
He regretted teaching her that so well.
Daniel opened Claire’s flash drive again.
They searched everything.
Emails.
Bank records.
Photographs.
Then Rachel noticed something.
“Wait.”
“What?”
“These shell companies.”
Daniel leaned closer.
“EVC Holdings.”
Rachel pointed.
“Evelyn Victoria Carter?”
Daniel shook his head.
“It could be anything.”
Mia whispered, “Dad.”
He looked at her.
She had gone pale.
“What?”
“Grandma gave me the red envelope.”
Silence.
Daniel stared.
“What did you say?”
“The envelope at the wedding.”
“No. You said you found it in my office.”
“I did.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
Mia swallowed.
“I found it after Grandma told me where to look.”
Daniel felt sick.
“When?”
“Before the ceremony.”
Rachel stepped closer.
“What exactly did she say?”
Mia thought.
“She said, ‘If you really love your father, go to his office and open the bottom drawer.’”
Daniel sat down.
Why would his mother know?
Why didn’t she tell him herself?
Mia continued.
“She said grown-ups sometimes don’t listen unless the truth comes from the right person.”
Daniel stood.
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Daniel Carter?”
“Yes.”
“This is Special Agent Karen Mitchell.”
“Okay.”
“We analyzed the financial files your daughter transmitted.”
Daniel looked at Mia.
“And?”
“There’s an account receiving percentages from almost every illegal Marcus Vale transaction.”
Daniel couldn’t breathe.
“Whose?”
The agent hesitated.
“Your mother’s.”
Rachel whispered, “Oh my God.”
Mia looked scared.
Daniel walked toward the window.
“No.”
“I’m afraid so.”
“My mother retired ten years ago.”
“The account began fifteen years ago.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Before Claire.
Before Eric.
Before Vanessa.
“Where is my mother now?”
“We were hoping you knew.”
Daniel turned.
Rachel’s face changed.
“What?”
She pointed toward the hallway.
The door to Daniel’s private elevator was closing.
Through the glass, they saw Evelyn Carter inside.
She was carrying a suitcase.
“MOM!”
Daniel ran.
The doors shut.
He hit the button.
No response.
Emergency override.
Disabled.
Mia appeared beside him.
“Dad.”
He looked down.
She held something.
An envelope.
White this time.
His name written across it.
DANIEL.
Claire’s handwriting.
Daniel stared at Mia.
“Where did you get that?”
“Grandma gave it to me just now.”
His heart stopped.
“When?”
“Before she got in the elevator.”
Daniel ripped it open.
Inside was one sentence.
If Evelyn runs, she knows you found Marcus.
Daniel looked toward the descending elevator numbers.
May you like
His mother wasn’t running from Marcus.
She was running from him.
