Chapter 4 - FOLLOW THE MAID
Adrian followed Grace.
Not in a Bentley.
Not with a driver.
He walked almost two miles before Malcolm sent an old sedan through a trusted employee.
Adrian changed clothes in the back seat but kept the beard and cap.
“Where are you going?” Malcolm asked over the phone.
“After Grace.”
“You trust her now?”
“I trust her more than anyone inside my house.”
“That’s a terrifying sentence.”
Grace drove to Greenwich Memorial Hospital.
Adrian parked across the street.
She emerged twenty minutes later carrying a pharmacy bag.
Then she walked to a small brick apartment building.
No luxury.
No hidden money.
No evidence of a maid stealing from a billionaire.
Adrian waited.
An hour later, shouting came from the building.
Grace appeared outside.
Victor was behind her.
Adrian’s muscles tightened.
Victor grabbed her arm.
“You need to give it back.”
Grace pushed him away.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The copy.”
“What copy?”
Victor looked around.
“The file you found.”
“I didn’t find anything.”
“You were cleaning Benton’s study yesterday.”
“I clean half the house.”
Victor lowered his voice.
“You saw something you weren’t supposed to see.”
Grace’s face changed.
And Adrian knew immediately.
She had seen something.
Victor noticed too.
“There it is.”
Grace stepped backward.
“I don’t know anything.”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
Victor grabbed her handbag.
Grace fought him.
“Let go!”
The bag tore open.
Medication rolled across the sidewalk.
Grace dropped to her knees.
“You idiot!”
Victor searched through her belongings.
Adrian opened the car door.
Then Grace slapped Victor across the face.
Victor froze.
Grace did too.
He slowly turned back toward her.
“You shouldn’t have done that.”
He raised his hand.
Adrian crossed the street.
“Leave her alone.”
Victor turned.
His eyes widened.
“The bum?”
Adrian hunched slightly.
Grace stared.
“What are you doing here?”
Victor laughed.
“This is unbelievable.”
He shoved Adrian.
“You want another lesson?”
Adrian let himself stumble.
Grace moved between them.
“Stop!”
Victor looked at both of them.
Then smiled.
“Fine.”
He tossed her bag down.
“But you have until tonight.”
“For what?”
“To remember where you put the copy.”
He walked away.
Grace stood motionless.
Adrian waited.
Then he said quietly, “What copy?”
Grace looked at him.
Her face had gone pale.
“I don’t know.”
“You’re lying.”
She stared at the old beggar.
“Who are you?”
Adrian had no good answer.
So he picked up her mother’s medication.
“Someone who doesn’t like bullies.”
Grace took the bag.
Then her eyes filled with tears she clearly hated showing.
“I found papers yesterday.”
“What kind?”
“Financial transfers.”
“From where?”
“Mr. Whitmore’s charitable foundation.”
Adrian’s chest tightened.
Grace whispered, “Millions of dollars.”
“To whom?”
“I didn’t get the name.”
“You made a copy?”
Grace nodded.
“And you hid it?”
Another nod.
Adrian stared at her.
“Where?”
Grace looked straight at him.
“I’m not telling anyone.”
Then a black SUV turned onto the street.
Grace’s face changed.
“That’s Victor’s car.”
But Victor had left on foot.
Adrian looked at the approaching SUV.
May you like
Two men were inside.
And they were driving straight toward them.
