Chapter 3 - The Second Life
Richard Harrington had always been good at looking clean.
His buildings were clean.
His suits were clean.
His public image was spotless.
His money wasn’t.
Harrison’s investigator, Marcus Reed, spread documents across a conference table.
“Shell corporations in Delaware. Payments routed through consulting firms in Nevada. Then money moves offshore.”
Khloe stared at the pages.
“How much?”
“So far? Twenty-eight million.”
Her face drained.
“Twenty-eight?”
“That we can prove.”
Harrison pointed to one company.
“Stone Harbor Development.”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“You own thirty percent.”
Khloe looked up.
“I what?”
“Richard used your electronic signature.”
Silence.
“That’s identity theft.”
“Yes.”
“And tax fraud.”
“Yes.”
“And probably bank fraud.”
Marcus nodded.
“Potentially worse.”
Khloe rubbed her belly.
Her daughter kicked.
She almost laughed at the timing.
“What could be worse?”
Marcus slid forward a photograph.
A partially collapsed apartment building.
“Riverside Commons.”
Khloe knew it instantly.
Three workers had died during construction.
Richard had blamed a subcontractor.
“What about it?”
Marcus answered quietly.
“The steel was under-spec.”
Khloe looked at Harrison.
“Richard knew?”
“We think so.”
“He knew people could die?”
“We need proof.”
That night, Khloe returned home.
Richard was in the kitchen drinking bourbon.
“Where were you?”
“Lunch with my brother.”
Richard’s eyes narrowed.
“You’ve been seeing him a lot.”
“He’s my brother.”
“I don’t like him.”
“Harrison doesn’t like you either.”
Richard smiled without humor.
“Your brother thinks everyone is guilty.”
Khloe placed her purse down.
“Sometimes he’s right.”
Richard stared at her.
For one dangerous second, she thought she had gone too far.
Then his face softened.
He walked over and touched her stomach.
“How’s my girl?”
Khloe wanted to slap his hand away.
Instead she smiled.
“She’s kicking.”
Richard leaned down.
“Hey, princess.”
His performance was perfect.
That frightened her more than the affair.
Later that night, Richard went downstairs.
Khloe waited ten minutes.
Then followed.
His office door was closed.
She heard his voice.
“No. She doesn’t know.”
Pause.
“I said I’ll handle my wife.”
Another pause.
Then:
“If the hearing goes bad, we move the documents before Friday.”
Khloe quietly stepped backward.
The floor creaked.
Richard stopped talking.
The door opened.
He stood there.
Phone in hand.
“Khloe?”
She forced a sleepy expression.
“What are you doing up?”
Richard stared at her for a long moment.
Then smiled.
“Come here.”
She didn’t move.
May you like
His smile disappeared.
“I said come here.”
