Chapter 8 - DANIEL’S VOICE
They played the recording in a locked hotel office.
Rachel sat beside Emily.
Thomas stood near the wall.
Grant inserted the memory card into a secured laptop.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Then Daniel’s voice filled the room.
Rachel closed her eyes.
Two years disappeared instantly.
“Rachel, if you’re hearing this, something went wrong.”
Her hand flew to her mouth.
Emily whispered,
“Daddy.”
Daniel continued.
“I hope you never hear it.”
A pause.
“But Victor knows I found the accounts.”
Thomas looked down.
Daniel’s voice remained calm.
“I traced thirty-eight million through Ellison Strategic Holdings, Marlowe Consulting and three offshore entities.”
Grant began taking notes.
“Victor didn’t act alone.”
Rachel opened her eyes.
Thomas looked up.
The recording continued.
“There’s someone inside the foundation helping him.”
Rachel looked toward Thomas.
He immediately shook his head.
“Not me.”
Daniel continued.
“I don’t know who yet.”
Then came another pause.
“If Victor realizes I copied the ledger, he’ll come after the trust.”
Rachel felt Emily’s fingers tighten around hers.
“That’s why I changed the terms.”
Thomas whispered,
“My God.”
Daniel continued.
“Rachel controls the audit when Emily turns nine.”
Rachel stared at the laptop.
“And if Victor tries to remove Rachel before then, look at the Ellison account ending 4417.”
Grant typed quickly.
Daniel’s voice softened.
“Rachel, I’m sorry.”
Her eyes filled.
“I should have told you sooner.”
She pressed her lips together.
“But I wanted to keep this away from you and Emily.”
Then his voice changed.
Warmer.
“And Em…”
Emily began crying silently.
“If you’re listening, Daddy loves you more than every star you can see from your bedroom window.”
Rachel pulled her daughter against her.
Daniel took a breath.
“There’s one more thing.”
Everyone became still.
“If something happens tonight, it wasn’t an accident.”
Silence.
Rachel stared at the laptop.
The recording continued.
“Victor asked me to meet him at the Hamptons house at eleven-thirty.”
Grant looked at Rachel.
Daniel’s final words came quietly.
“I’m going because he says he wants to confess.”
The recording ended.
No one moved.
Then Thomas whispered,
“That’s enough.”
Grant shook his head.
“Enough to reopen the case.”
“Not enough to convict.”
Rachel looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because Daniel recorded his suspicion before the meeting.”
Grant closed the laptop.
“It establishes motive and intent.”
“But it doesn’t tell us what happened at the dock.”
Rachel stood.
“Then we find out.”
Thomas looked at her.
“How?”
Rachel stared at the tiny memory card.
Daniel had hidden one secret inside a child’s necklace.
Maybe he had hidden another.
“Daniel said he copied the ledger.”
Thomas nodded.
“Where is it?”
“I don’t know.”
Rachel thought about Daniel.
About the way he planned.
About his habit of leaving backups.
Then she remembered something.
The music box.
Rachel looked at Emily.
“Where is the box?”
“At home.”
Thomas understood immediately.
Rachel grabbed her coat.
Grant blocked the door.
“You’re not going alone.”
May you like
Rachel looked at him.
“Then keep up.”
