Chapter 5 - SOMEONE WANTED MARIA SILENT
“DOWN!”
Detective Warren dragged Maria behind the kitchen island.
Another shot hit the window frame.
Arthur covered Noah with his body.
“Stay down, buddy.”
“Dad, I’m scared!”
“I know. I’ve got you.”
Warren moved toward the side door.
“Shooter’s in the tree line.”
He called for backup.
Arthur looked at Maria.
“You okay?”
Her cheek was bleeding from broken glass.
She nodded.
“Just a cut.”
Another shot.
The overhead light shattered.
Darkness swallowed half the kitchen.
Warren returned fire toward the trees.
Then an engine started outside.
Tires spun over gravel.
Warren ran out.
By the time Arthur reached the porch, he saw only a dark pickup disappearing behind the woods.
No plate.
No clear view of the driver.
But Maria had seen something.
She stared down the road.
“What?” Arthur asked.
Her breathing was shallow.
“I know that truck.”
“Whose is it?”
She looked at him.
“Daniel’s.”
Arthur felt sick.
For twelve years, Daniel Price had been more than an employee.
They had built Vance Development together.
Daniel had attended Noah’s birthday parties.
He had sat beside Arthur at his father’s funeral.
Arthur had trusted him with payroll, acquisitions, bank access—everything.
And now he might have fired a rifle at Maria.
Warren came back.
“Everyone inside until backup arrives.”
Arthur shook his head.
“Daniel’s heading for the airport.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Noah heard Elena say it.”
“Then airport police will handle it.”
Maria suddenly grabbed Arthur’s sleeve.
“There’s something else.”
Arthur looked at her.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a tiny USB drive.
“Where did you get that?”
“From Noah’s backpack.”
Arthur stared.
“When?”
“When I found the trust documents. It was taped inside the folder.”
Noah sniffed.
“Mom said Mr. Daniel needed that too.”
Arthur looked at Warren.
“Computer?”
Warren had one in his car.
They plugged in the drive.
Password protected.
Arthur tried Elena’s birthday.
Wrong.
Noah’s birthday.
Wrong.
Their anniversary.
Wrong.
Maria leaned closer.
“What about your father?”
Arthur typed his father’s name.
MICHAELVANCE.
The folder opened.
Hundreds of files appeared.
Bank statements.
Property transfers.
Trust agreements.
Audio clips.
Photographs.
Warren whistled.
“This is not good.”
Arthur clicked the first spreadsheet.
Payments stretched back three years.
Money moved through shell companies.
Millions.
One recipient appeared again and again.
EPSILON RIDGE HOLDINGS.
Arthur clicked corporate ownership records stored beside the spreadsheet.
Epsilon Ridge had two private beneficiaries.
Daniel Price.
And Elena Vance.
Arthur stared at the screen.
Three years.
They had been stealing from him for three years.
Maria whispered, “Arthur…”
He clicked another folder.
PHOTOS.
The first picture opened.
Elena and Daniel were sitting together at a hotel bar.
The second showed them kissing.
The third showed them entering the same hotel room.
Arthur didn’t move.
No anger.
No shouting.
Nothing.
That hurt Maria more than if he had screamed.
“Arthur…”
He closed the photograph.
“How long?”
Warren checked the file date.
“Two years.”
Arthur looked toward the dark window.
His wife.
His closest business partner.
Together.
Stealing from him.
Using his son’s money.
Then Warren clicked an audio folder.
One recording had been created only two days earlier.
He pressed play.
Daniel’s voice filled the car.
“If Arthur figures this out, we use the contingency.”
Elena answered.
“What contingency?”
A pause.
May you like
Then Daniel said:
“The accident.”
