Chapter 4 - THE WATCH
Daniel returned home before midnight.
Vanessa was with him.
She had stopped crying.
That irritated him.
He had expected her to be frightened.
Instead, she was sitting on the sofa in his study, staring at the city through the windows.
“You shouldn't have come here.”
Vanessa turned.
“Where else should I go?”
Daniel loosened his tie.
“Your apartment.”
“My apartment has reporters outside.”
He stopped.
“What?”
She picked up her phone.
“Someone leaked the video.”
Daniel looked at the screen.
The footage showed him slapping Emma.
There was no context.
No explanation.
Just the sound.
Again and again.
His face went pale.
“Who recorded it?”
“Someone at the hotel.”
Daniel sat down.
“This is going to destroy me.”
Vanessa looked at him.
“It might destroy both of us.”
Daniel looked at her bracelet.
“Take that off.”
She did.
He stared at it.
The bracelet had been a mistake.
A stupid, sentimental mistake.
Emma had given it to him years ago.
He had taken it back from her jewelry box when she stopped wearing it.
He had told himself he was reclaiming something that belonged to him.
Then he had given it to Vanessa.
Now it felt like evidence.
A knock came at the study door.
Richard Bell entered.
Daniel stood.
“You said the Hayes brothers wouldn't interfere.”
Richard closed the door.
“They weren't supposed to.”
“They have the records.”
“What records?”
“Your old warehouse.”
Richard's expression changed.
“Who told you?”
“Luke found it.”
Richard's face tightened.
“Then we have a problem.”
Daniel stared.
“What did you do?”
Richard looked at him.
“I cleaned up your mistakes for eleven years.”
“You're the one who told me Emma's family would never find anything.”
“I said I controlled the records.”
“Then control them.”
Richard walked toward the desk.
“There is one thing you need to understand.”
“What?”
“Emma isn't the problem.”
Daniel frowned.
“Then who is?”
“Her brothers.”
Richard pulled out a file.
“They've been investigating Mercer Holdings for years.”
Daniel looked at the documents.
One page contained photographs of Jack.
Another showed Noah entering a courthouse.
The last showed Luke outside a federal building.
“They're building a case.”
“Against me?”
“Against someone.”
Richard's voice lowered.
“And I don't know anymore whether that someone is you.”
Daniel stared.
“What does that mean?”
Richard opened the desk drawer.
Inside was an old silver watch.
Daniel recognized it immediately.
His father had worn it.
“Where did you get that?”
Richard closed the drawer.
“Your father left it with me.”
“My father died fifteen years ago.”
“Yes.”
“Why would he give it to you?”
Richard looked at him.
“Because he knew what was coming.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“What was coming?”
Richard said nothing.
Daniel grabbed his arm.
“Tell me.”
Richard finally whispered:
“Your father was working with Emma's mother.”
Daniel released him.
That changed everything.
Across town, Emma and her brothers arrived at Daniel's private office.
The building was empty.
Luke bypassed the electronic lock.
Inside, the lights were off.
Emma walked through the corridor.
Daniel's office was exactly as she remembered.
Mahogany desk.
Leather chairs.
Family photographs.
A crystal decanter.
Then she saw it.
A red envelope beneath the desk.
She picked it up.
Inside was a small brass key.
Noah examined it.
“Old-fashioned.”
Luke pointed toward a cabinet.
“There.”
A tiny lock sat beneath the bottom drawer.
Emma inserted the key.
It opened.
Inside was a watch.
Her mother's watch.
Emma froze.
She had buried it with her mother.
At least she thought she had.
A note was attached.
Your mother asked me to keep this until you were ready.
Emma turned it over.
A recording device was hidden beneath the strap.
Luke activated it.
Her mother's voice filled the office.
“Emma, if you're hearing this, something has gone wrong.”
Emma closed her eyes.
Her mother's voice continued.
“Don't trust Daniel.”
Emma's breath caught.
“But don't hate him either.”
Jack frowned.
The recording continued.
“He doesn't know what his father did.”
Emma opened her eyes.
Noah looked at her.
Then her mother's voice said:
“The person you should fear is the man Daniel calls his protector.”
Richard Bell.
The recording clicked off.
At that exact moment, Luke's phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His face changed.
“What?”
Emma asked.
Luke answered slowly.
“It's the police.”
“Why?”
“They just arrested Daniel.”
Emma stared.
“On what charge?”
May you like
Luke looked at the message.
“Your mother's murder.”
