Chapter 13 - THE TRAP
Mark stopped defending himself.
He started hunting.
With Detective Ortiz’s help, he created a false document.
It claimed Noah’s original trust certificate had been moved to a private vault in Manhattan.
Only the original certificate could immediately defeat Richard’s court petition.
The information was shared with exactly four people.
Evan.
Jonathan Caldwell.
Henry Walsh.
And one senior bank officer.
Each received a slightly different vault number.
Within three hours, someone attempted to access one of them.
Vault 714.
The number given only to Henry Walsh.
Police arrested Henry outside the bank.
He was carrying forged authorization from Mark.
Henry broke during interrogation.
Richard had paid him for seven years.
First for company information.
Then for board votes.
Then for access.
“Did Richard order Daniel’s death?” Ortiz asked.
Henry lowered his head.
“I never heard him say it directly.”
“But?”
“I heard Charles say Daniel had become a liability.”
Mark watched from behind the one-way glass.
Henry continued.
“Two weeks before the accident, Richard said the younger brother would not be a problem much longer.”
Mark walked away.
Sarah found him in the hallway.
“You do not have to hear the rest.”
“Yes, I do.”
“No.”
Sarah stepped in front of him.
“You already know what they did.”
“I want every detail.”
“Why?”
“So I can hate them properly.”
Sarah looked into his eyes.
“Hate will not protect Noah.”
Mark went still.
“Evidence will.”
Her voice was quiet.
“Patience will.”
“Staying alive will.”
Mark knew she was right.
He hated that she was right.
That evening, Henry agreed to cooperate.
He told police Richard planned to move large amounts of money through a charity gala two nights later.
The gala would be held at the Reed Grand Hotel.
A building Mark owned.
Richard intended to appear publicly as the family’s new stabilizing force.
Victoria would attend.
So would Charles.
Robert Keller might be there.
The entire conspiracy could be in one room.
Ortiz wanted surveillance.
Mark wanted arrests.
Sarah wanted Noah nowhere near the city.
Then they received a package.
No return address.
Inside was one of Noah’s blue socks.
Sarah recognized it immediately.
It had disappeared from the nursery three weeks earlier.
Under the sock was a note.
BRING THE ORIGINAL TRUST CERTIFICATE TO THE GALA.
OR THE NEXT THING WE TAKE WILL NOT BE A SOCK.
Mark crushed the note in his fist.
Sarah looked at him.
“They want you angry.”
“They already have that.”
“They want you reckless.”
Mark slowly released the paper.
Sarah was right again.
May you like
He picked up his phone.
“Then we give them exactly what they think they want.”
