Chapter 4: The Private Clinic

Chapter 4: The Private Clinic

The name on the burned guardianship form belonged to a private psychiatric clinic outside the city.

Blackwood Behavioral Center.

Victoria claimed she had researched it because she was “concerned” about Lily’s emotional health.

But Detective Warren discovered that Victoria had already paid a deposit.

The admission date was the following morning.

I stared at the payment record.

“She was going to send my daughter away while I was still overseas.”

Warren nodded.

“The clinic had documents saying Lily was violent, delusional, and a danger to herself.”

“Who signed them?”

“Your assistant.”

Daniel Price had forged my signature.

I called him from the hospital.

He answered on the second ring.

“Robert! I heard your trip ended early. Everything okay?”

His voice was relaxed.

Friendly.

As if he had not helped torture my daughter.

“I need you at the penthouse,” I said.

“Tonight?”

“There’s a problem with the Singapore acquisition.”

He paused.

“I thought that deal was finished.”

“It isn’t.”

“I can be there in an hour.”

After the call, Warren studied me.

“You think he’ll come?”

“He thinks I still trust him.”

We prepared the penthouse.

Police officers waited in the service hallway. Maria remained with Lily at the hospital. Victoria had been taken in for questioning but had not yet been formally charged.

At nine fifteen, Daniel walked through my door.

He wore a gray suit and carried a laptop bag.

“Where’s Victoria?” he asked casually.

I poured him a drink.

“At the police station.”

His hand stopped.

“What happened?”

“I came home and found Lily hurt.”

Daniel shook his head with practiced sadness.

“That poor girl. Victoria told me Lily had been acting dangerously.”

I watched him carefully.

“How dangerously?”

“She mentioned threats. Self-harm. Maybe hallucinations.”

“You believed her?”

“I believed she was worried.”

I slid the clinic documents across the table.

Daniel’s face barely changed.

“What’s this?”

“Your signature.”

“That isn’t mine.”

“Actually, it is.”

He leaned back.

“Robert, you’re upset. I understand. But you’re not thinking clearly.”

I almost laughed.

Those were the exact words Victoria used whenever she wanted me to doubt myself.

Daniel stood.

“We should talk when you’ve rested.”

He picked up his laptop bag.

I pressed a button beneath the table.

The doors locked.

Daniel slowly turned.

Detective Warren stepped from the hallway.

Daniel’s smile disappeared.

“You have the right to remain silent,” Warren said.

Daniel ran toward the balcony.

Two officers blocked him.

His laptop bag fell open.

Inside were stacks of cash, three passports, and a one-way airline ticket for that night.

But the most important item was a small digital recorder.

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On it, Daniel had saved every conversation he had ever had with Victoria.

Including one that revealed their plan had begun before Victoria ever met me.