Chapter 12 - The Wrong Vance
Arthur Vance was arrested before his jet left the ground.
News helicopters were above Teterboro within minutes.
By evening, every television in the hospital was showing the same image.
Arthur being escorted across the tarmac in handcuffs.
The public assumed the family patriarch had tried to flee.
I didn't.
Arthur had called me.
He had warned me about Beatrice.
Why would he suddenly run?
Reed wondered the same thing.
"He says Beatrice told him the FBI planned to arrest him that night."
"Would he believe her?"
"Apparently."
"Where did he think she was?"
"Already in Europe."
I almost smiled.
"She sent him away."
"Looks that way."
"So everyone watches Arthur while Beatrice moves."
"Exactly."
That was when the television changed.
BREAKING NEWS.
Vance Holdings announced that Beatrice Vance had temporarily assumed executive authority due to Arthur's legal difficulties.
I stared at the screen.
"She isn't running."
Reed turned toward me.
"No."
"She's taking the company."
The raid had removed her husband.
Julian's arrest had sidelined her son.
Arthur's attempted flight made him look guilty.
Beatrice had used chaos to step into the center.
But she had another problem.
Grace.
The twelve percent trust.
"She needs control before Grace's shares transfer."
Reed nodded.
"Your lawyer is already working on it."
I blinked.
"My lawyer?"
A woman entered the room behind Reed.
Tall.
Gray suit.
Silver hair.
I recognized her immediately.
Evelyn Cross.
My father's old attorney.
I had not seen her since his funeral.
"Hello, Clara."
I stared.
"You knew?"
Her face filled with regret.
"Some of it."
"How much?"
"Enough to be ashamed I stayed quiet."
Anger rose instantly.
"You let me marry Julian."
"I didn't know who he was until your engagement announcement."
"And then?"
"Your father made me promise never to tell you unless the Vances came after you again."
"They did."
"I know."
"Years ago."
"I know."
Her voice cracked.
There were no excuses.
At least she understood that.
"What do you have?"
I asked.
Evelyn opened her briefcase.
"A document your father left with me."
"What document?"
"A challenge to the Vance generational trust."
Reed leaned forward.
"On what basis?"
Evelyn placed the papers on my table.
"The twelve percent of shares that transfers to the first grandchild came from a company called Alder Technologies."
I frowned.
"I've never heard of it."
"You have."
Evelyn looked at me.
"It used to be Hayes Precision."
My blood went cold.
"What?"
"After the bankruptcy, the stolen assets were folded into Alder."
"Then Alder merged into Vance Holdings."
She pointed to a section.
"The shares assigned to the family trust were funded largely by assets originating from your father's company."
I stared at the document.
"So Grace is inheriting shares purchased with property stolen from her grandfather."
"Yes."
I almost laughed at the ugliness of it.
"Can we challenge them?"
"We can do more."
Evelyn turned a page.
"Your father filed a sealed ownership claim years ago."
"Why sealed?"
"For your safety."
"If the forged transfer is proven, part of the trust may legally belong to his estate."
I looked at her.
"And I'm his heir."
"Yes."
The implications hit instantly.
Beatrice had spent years planning to control Grace's twelve percent.
But if my father's claim succeeded, Grace and I together might control much more.
"How much?"
I asked.
Evelyn hesitated.
"Potentially twenty-six percent of Vance Holdings."
The room went silent.
That was why Beatrice had monitored me.
Why she had arranged my meeting with Julian.
Why she wanted my signature.
She had not brought me into the family because I was harmless.
She had brought me inside because marriage was easier to control than litigation.
Then my phone vibrated.
Another unknown message.
This time there was no threat.
Only a photograph.
Chloe.
She was sitting in a car.
Her lip was bleeding.
In her hand was a newspaper with that day's date.
May you like
Under the image were four words.
SIGN OR SHE DISAPPEARS TONIGHT.
