Chapter 7 - THE MAN IN THE WAREHOUSE
Police searched the Baltimore warehouse.
It was empty.
The sealed boxes Marcus had transported were gone.
Investigators found shredded documents, discarded computer equipment, and a wall covered with photographs of Daniel.
Some were taken at business events.
Others were taken through the windows of the mansion.
A photograph of Eleanor had a red circle around her face.
Beneath it, someone had written, “Primary obstacle.”
Adrian Mercer’s fingerprints were found on a metal desk.
So were fingerprints belonging to Gregory Shaw, Daniel’s vice president of operations.
Gregory had worked for Whitmore Development Group for twelve years.
He attended Daniel’s birthday dinners.
He visited Eleanor after her husband died.
He had recommended the background-check company that cleared Vanessa.
Daniel refused to believe it.
“Gregory is family.”
Eleanor looked at him sadly.
“Family should not be a word that makes evidence disappear.”
Gregory arrived at the mansion voluntarily.
He appeared shocked by the allegations.
He admitted knowing Adrian Mercer.
They had worked together on a construction project eight years earlier.
He claimed the relationship ended badly.
“Adrian was accused of invoice fraud,” Gregory said.
“I helped remove him.”
Daniel leaned forward.
“Did you introduce him to Vanessa?”
“No.”
“Did you alter her background report?”
“Absolutely not.”
Detective Bennett placed a warehouse photograph in front of him.
It showed Gregory speaking to Adrian beside a loading dock.
The image was dated six weeks earlier.
Gregory stared at it.
Then he laughed softly.
“This is exactly what Vanessa wanted.”
“What does that mean?” Daniel asked.
“She photographed everyone.”
“She created connections that did not exist.”
Gregory claimed Vanessa had asked him to meet a potential investor at the warehouse.
Adrian appeared unexpectedly.
Gregory left within minutes.
Daniel wanted to believe him.
Eleanor did not.
She asked one question.
“Why did you never tell Daniel that you had seen his fiancée’s former husband?”
Gregory’s jaw tightened.
“I did not know they were married.”
“But you knew his name.”
“I knew Adrian.”
“You approved the firm that erased Adrian from Vanessa’s history.”
Gregory stood.
“I will not be interrogated by a woman who plays games in a maid’s uniform.”
Eleanor’s gaze sharpened.
“That uniform revealed more truth in six days than your loyalty revealed in twelve years.”
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Gregory left before police could stop him.
Twenty minutes later, his car exploded in the company parking garage.
