Chapter 12 - The Lawyer
Sarah drove directly to Martin’s office.
She didn’t call.
She didn’t warn him.
Martin’s assistant tried to stop her.
Sarah pushed open the conference-room door.
Martin was inside speaking with Raymond.
Both men stood.
Sarah threw the photograph onto the table.
“Explain.”
Martin stared at it.
His face changed.
Raymond looked confused.
“What am I looking at?”
Sarah pointed.
“Martin and Victoria.”
Martin sat slowly.
“It isn’t what you think.”
Sarah laughed once.
“Every guilty person says that.”
Martin removed his glasses.
“Thomas asked me to meet her.”
Sarah froze.
“Why?”
“Because Victoria contacted Thomas.”
Raymond frowned.
“When?”
“Four years ago.”
“Before Nathan died?”
“Yes.”
Sarah sat opposite him.
Martin continued.
“Victoria came to Thomas claiming Julian was stealing.”
Sarah felt dizzy.
“What?”
“She had evidence.”
“Then why was she helping Julian?”
Martin looked miserable.
“Because she wasn’t helping Thomas for free.”
Victoria had demanded immunity.
Money.
And protection.
Thomas refused the money but promised protection if she testified.
Then Nathan died.
Victoria panicked.
She returned to Julian and convinced him she had never betrayed him.
Sarah studied Martin.
“Why didn’t Thomas tell me?”
“He thought secrecy kept you safe.”
“Secrecy kept me ignorant.”
Martin couldn’t argue.
Sarah pointed toward the photograph.
“Did you delete Part Two of Thomas’s video?”
“No.”
“Did Victoria?”
“I don’t know.”
“Who else knew the box existed?”
Martin hesitated.
Sarah leaned forward.
“Who?”
“Raymond.”
Silence.
Sarah turned toward the board chair.
Raymond’s expression hardened.
“Thomas told me the box existed.”
Martin corrected him.
“You knew where it was.”
Raymond stood.
“This is absurd.”
Sarah remembered the emergency board call.
Raymond had warned her.
He had helped suspend Julian.
Why would he do that if he were involved?
Unless he needed Julian removed too.
Sarah’s phone rang.
Noah.
She answered.
“Grandma.”
His voice was shaking.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m at the house.”
Sarah stood.
“Where’s your mother?”
“That’s the problem.”
Sarah’s heart stopped.
“What happened?”
“Mom’s gone.”
Sarah grabbed her coat.
“Call the police.”
“I already did.”
Then Noah said something that froze everyone in the room.
“She left her phone here.”
“And somebody wrote a message on the dining-room table.”
Sarah whispered.
“What message?”
May you like
Noah swallowed.
IT’S TIME TO TRADE THE HOUSE FOR YOUR DAUGHTER.
