Chapter 13 - The Attorney Who Arrived Too QuicklyRebecca was gone.
Her phone went straight to voicemail.
Adam stared at Miller in disbelief.
“She’s worked for us for twelve years.”
Miller responded, “Grant worked for you for twenty-one.”
That ended the argument.
Traffic cameras showed Rebecca’s Mercedes heading east.
But another camera twenty miles later showed only Rebecca driving.
Grant was no longer visible.
She arrived at police headquarters voluntarily three hours later with her own lawyer.
Her explanation was immediate.
“Grant stepped in front of my car.”
Miller stared at her.
“On a mountain road?”
“Yes.”
“And you gave him a ride.”
“He told me he had evidence.”
“Of what?”
“That Vanessa planned Lily’s disappearance without him.”
“Did you believe him?”
“No.”
“Why didn’t you call police?”
Rebecca hesitated.
“I wanted the evidence.”
Miller’s expression hardened.
“You’re an attorney.”
“I know.”
“You transported a fugitive.”
“He wasn’t under arrest when he entered my car.”
“You knew police were searching for him.”
Rebecca’s lawyer intervened.
But Miller continued.
“Where did you drop him?”
“At a gas station.”
Cameras confirmed part of the story.
Grant exited Rebecca’s vehicle near a rural service station.
Then disappeared again.
But her explanation for helping him remained weak.
Adam confronted her outside the interview room.
“Why?”
Rebecca looked exhausted.
“Because Thomas hired me.”
Adam stopped.
“What?”
“Before he died.”
“For what?”
“To review the same fraud.”
“You knew?”
“Some of it.”
Evelyn stared at her.
“For twelve years?”
Rebecca shook her head.
“Thomas came to me about eleven months before his death. I advised him to report Grant and Edward.”
“But he didn’t.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Edward begged him.”
Adam laughed bitterly.
Again.
Protect family first.
Rebecca continued.
“Thomas made Grant sign a confidential repayment agreement.”
Miller said, “We found it.”
“Then you know.”
“What happened afterward?”
“Thomas believed Grant had repaid everything.”
“He hadn’t.”
“No.”
Evelyn’s eyes narrowed.
“Why didn’t you tell me after Thomas died?”
Rebecca looked at her.
“Attorney-client privilege.”
“Thomas was dead.”
“Privilege survives death.”
Adam shook his head.
“There were crimes.”
“Suspected crimes. Thomas specifically instructed me not to disclose the matter unless Grant stole again and I had independent evidence.”
“And did you?”
“Not until this week.”
Miller did not look convinced.
“Why give Grant a ride?”
Rebecca took a long breath.
“Because he told me Thomas had left a second document.”
“What document?”
“A document proving Edward wasn’t the only family member who took money.”
Evelyn went still.
Adam looked at his mother.
Rebecca continued.
“Grant said Thomas had evidence Evelyn used company funds to cover Edward’s gambling losses.”
Evelyn stood.
“That is a lie.”
Rebecca looked at her.
“Is it?”
Everyone went quiet.
Evelyn’s face changed.
Slowly.
Painfully.
“I gave Edward money.”
Adam stared.
“How much?”
“Eight hundred thousand.”
“Company money?”
“No.”
“Mom.”
“Thomas and I owned the company.”
“That’s not an answer.”
Evelyn sat.
“I authorized distributions that should not have been made.”
“Why?”
“Edward said men were threatening him.”
Adam rubbed his forehead.
“So Dad suspected Grant and Edward, and you were secretly paying Edward.”
“I was trying to protect your uncle.”
“From consequences.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“Yes.”
For the first time, the corruption surrounding the family could not be blamed only on outsiders.
Thomas had concealed.
Evelyn had financed.
Edward had stolen.
Grant had expanded.
Vanessa had joined.
Adam had failed to question.
Everyone had contributed something.
Not equal guilt.
But the same disease.
Silence.
Miller’s phone rang.
He listened.
Then looked at Rebecca.
“Grant used your car to leave something behind.”
“What?”
Police had searched the passenger area after obtaining permission.
Under the seat they found a small digital storage device.
Rebecca had never seen it.
The drive contained a video file.
Recorded years earlier.
Thomas Hale was sitting in his study.
Alive.
And he was speaking directly to the camera.
“If Adam ever sees this,” Thomas said, “then Grant has done exactly what I feared.”
May you like
Adam stopped breathing.
His dead father was about to explain the secret none of them had been willing to tell.
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