Chapter 6 - The Friend Who Came RunningGrant arrived without cufflinks.
He walked quickly through the hospital corridor, expensive navy jacket open, face arranged into an expression of worried relief.
“Where is she?”
Daniel stood outside Maya's room.
“Sleeping.”
Grant stopped in front of him.
“My God.”
He embraced Daniel.
Daniel's arms remained at his sides.
Grant released him slowly.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Grant looked through the glass.
“I can't believe she's alive.”
Daniel watched him.
“You sound surprised.”
“Of course I'm surprised. She's been missing for three days.”
“She was under my pool.”
Grant stared at him.
“What?”
Daniel had spent the twenty minutes before Grant arrived deciding exactly how much information to reveal.
Not the hidden chamber's details.
Not Maya's description.
Not the torn document.
He wanted Grant talking.
“There was a room under the pool.”
Grant shook his head.
“I didn't know there was a room.”
Daniel's first lie detector was memory.
Twelve years earlier Grant had overseen renovation payments.
Maybe he hadn't seen construction plans.
Maybe accounting had handled invoices without specifics.
Or maybe he was lying.
Daniel looked at his wrists.
Plain white shirt cuffs.
Grant noticed.
“What are you doing?”
“Where are your anniversary cufflinks?”
Grant glanced down.
“At home?”
“You usually wear them.”
“No, I don't.”
“You wore them yesterday.”
Grant frowned.
“Daniel, what the hell is this?”
Detective Reed approached.
“Mr. Mercer?”
Grant turned.
“Yes.”
“Nora Reed. County Police.”
“I know who you are.”
“I'd like to ask you a few questions.”
Grant looked back at Daniel.
“Am I a suspect?”
Nora's expression stayed neutral.
“You're someone with information.”
“Then I'd prefer my attorney present.”
Daniel felt anger flare.
Nora merely nodded.
“That's your right.”
Grant looked offended.
“You called me here to ambush me?”
Daniel kept his voice quiet.
“My daughter says the man who helped Vanessa hide her called me his oldest friend.”
Grant's face changed.
Not fear.
Pain.
“You think that means me?”
“You are my oldest friend.”
“I've been helping you search.”
“So was Vanessa.”
Grant took a step back.
“You need sleep.”
“Don't.”
“Daniel.”
“Don't make me crazy because it's convenient.”
Grant's jaw tightened.
“I drove until three in the morning looking for Maya.”
“I know.”
“I put up fifty thousand dollars of the reward.”
“I know.”
“I called every private investigator between here and Richmond.”
“I know.”
“And now because a traumatized eleven-year-old heard some man say ‘friend,’ you're looking at me like I put her in a basement?”
“Under my pool.”
Grant stared at him.
Then laughed once in disbelief.
Nora interrupted.
“Mr. Mercer, when was the last time you used Vanessa Hale's laptop?”
Grant's attention shifted sharply.
“What?”
“She says you've used it.”
“For what?”
“I'm asking you.”
Grant looked toward Daniel.
“Is this about the company?”
“Answer her.”
Grant rubbed his chin.
“I used Vanessa's computer once because mine wouldn't connect to their printer.”
“When?”
“A few weeks ago.”
“Do you know her password?”
“No.”
“She entered it.”
Nora nodded.
“Do you have remote credentials that would allow access to Daniel's home server?”
“No.”
“What about Calder Development's architectural archive?”
“Obviously. I'm CFO.”
Daniel watched him.
Nora continued.
“Did you access plans for this property three nights ago?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Nora said nothing.
Grant finally asked, “Why?”
“Because a login under your credentials did.”
He blinked.
“Then somebody used my credentials.”
“Who has them?”
“No one.”
Daniel almost laughed.
“That sounds familiar.”
Grant turned to him.
“What?”
“Vanessa said somebody used her laptop. You say somebody used your login.”
“Because that happens, Daniel. Passwords get stolen.”
“On the same night.”
Grant's face hardened.
“I'm not doing this with you.”
He started away.
Daniel grabbed his arm.
Grant turned sharply.
Nora stepped between them.
“Enough.”
Grant pointed at Daniel.
“You want someone to blame. I understand that.”
“My daughter was locked in a room.”
“And Vanessa was arrested.”
“Maybe she wasn't alone.”
Grant looked genuinely angry now.
“Then find who helped her.”
Nora said, “We intend to.”
Grant walked toward the elevators.
Daniel called after him.
“The acquisition papers.”
Grant stopped.
“What about them?”
“You brought them while Maya was missing.”
“We have deadlines.”
“You wanted my signature.”
“I wanted the company protected.”
“From what?”
Grant turned.
“A credit covenant breach.”
Daniel frowned.
“What covenant breach?”
Grant's expression shifted.
He had said too much.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Our liquidity was fine last quarter.”
“It isn't now.”
“Why?”
“Ask your finance team.”
“You are my finance team.”
Grant pressed the elevator button.
The doors opened.
Daniel blocked them.
“What happened to the money?”
“Not here.”
“Yes. Here.”
“Daniel, this company conversation has nothing to do with Maya.”
“Then answer me.”
Grant lowered his voice.
“We're carrying forty-two million dollars in short-term exposure on three developments. Lenders tightened. The Mercer acquisition solves it.”
Daniel stared at him.
“Mercer acquisition.”
Grant realized the mistake.
The buying entity was officially Mercer Development Acquisition Group.
Grant had previously insisted the name was coincidental—a third-party private equity vehicle managed by a firm whose senior partner also happened to be named Mercer.
Daniel had accepted that explanation because he had been distracted.
Now it sounded absurd.
“You told me you weren't connected to the buyer.”
“I'm not.”
“It's your name.”
“It's a fund.”
“A fund you're negotiating with?”
“Through counsel.”
“Who owns it?”
Grant said nothing.
The elevator doors tried to close.
Daniel held them.
“Who owns it?”
Nora stood nearby, listening.
Grant's face became cold.
“Get some rest.”
He stepped into the elevator.
Before the doors closed, Daniel said, “Maya took pictures of the papers.”
Grant's expression flickered.
Only once.
But Daniel saw it.
The doors slid shut.
Nora turned toward him.
“You made that up.”
“No.”
“Did Maya say where the tablet is?”
Daniel froze.
In all the shock, he had forgotten.
Maya had photographed Vanessa's desk.
Those images could prove everything.
He went back into the room.
Maya was awake.
“Sweetheart, your tablet.”
She looked confused.
“What about it?”
“Where is it?”
Her confusion became fear.
“Vanessa took it.”
“When?”
“Before she brought me downstairs.”
“Did she delete the pictures?”
“I don't know.”
Daniel swallowed.
“Where would she put it?”
Maya looked toward the window.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“She gave it to the man.”
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