Chapter 7 - The Fire That Changed Everything
Rafe had spent fifteen years believing Tessa's brother died saving his life.
Now the fire itself had become a question.
His security team retrieved the original incident report from an old company archive.
The warehouse had been scheduled for demolition.
The sprinkler system had been disconnected.
And the emergency exit nearest the loading bay had been chained shut.
"Who authorized the shutdown?" Rafe demanded.
Malik turned his laptop around.
"Anthony Calder."
Rafe felt sick.
His father had always claimed the fire resulted from an electrical malfunction.
Yet the records showed that insurance investigators suspected arson before their report mysteriously disappeared.
Meanwhile, Sloane sat at June's kitchen table with a laptop and a folder of her father's old photographs.
She had once worked as a forensic accountant before marrying Rafe.
After her pregnancy became difficult, she reduced her workload.
But numbers had always told her stories people tried to hide.
She traced the two-million-dollar transfer through three shell corporations.
The final company was registered in Delaware.
Its listed director was deceased.
Its accountant had disappeared.
But the corporate formation documents contained one recognizable signature.
Elaine Bennett.
Her mother.
Sloane stared at the screen.
Her mother had spent years telling her Daniel drowned after a business trip.
She had cried at his memorial.
She had insisted they sell the family house because it contained too many painful memories.
Why would Elaine sign documents connected to Daniel's disappearance?
Sloane called her.
Her mother answered immediately.
"Honey, are you all right? Rafe called earlier. He sounded worried."
"I'm safe, Mom."
"Good."
Sloane swallowed.
"I need to ask you something about Dad."
Silence.
"Why are you bringing him up now?"
"Did he really die?"
A long pause followed.
Then Elaine whispered, "Where did you hear that?"
Sloane gripped the phone.
"Answer me."
Her mother began crying.
"I thought I was protecting you."
"From what?"
"From the men who took him."
"Did you know he was alive?"
Elaine sobbed.
"Not until last year."
Sloane closed her eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because they threatened you. And then, when they found out you were pregnant, they threatened the baby."
A floorboard creaked behind Sloane.
June stood in the doorway, holding an envelope that had just been slipped beneath the apartment door.
Inside was a hospital bracelet.
Printed on it were Sloane's name and expected delivery date.
May you like
Attached was a note.
Your mother has already made a deal for your daughter.
Related Stories
