Chapter 6 - THE MAN BEHIND VIVIEN
Peter Voss had always dressed like money.
Even after losing his position at Whitmore Logistics, he still wore custom suits, Italian shoes, and a watch worth more than the average American house.
Nathaniel found him forty-eight hours later through a private investigator.
Voss was living under his middle name in a luxury condominium in Miami.
That alone told Nathaniel something.
Peter had claimed bankruptcy after leaving Whitmore.
Bankrupt men did not usually rent twelve-thousand-dollar-a-month oceanfront apartments.
Malcolm arranged surveillance.
They discovered Voss made no unnecessary calls.
He rarely went outside.
Groceries were delivered.
Cash arrived twice through different couriers.
But one visitor changed everything.
Vivien Cole.
She flew to Miami on a private charter booked under another woman’s name.
Nathaniel watched photographs of her entering Voss’s building.
A red scarf covered her hair.
Sunglasses hid half her face.
But there was no question.
It was her.
Rosa stood on the opposite side of the safe-house kitchen while Nathaniel laid the images across the counter.
“So you know.”
“We know they are connected.”
“Isn’t that enough?”
“For what?”
“To call the police.”
“They’re already involved in Meadows’s murder.”
Rosa crossed her arms.
“And you haven’t told them Lily saw Vivien push your mother.”
Nathaniel’s silence answered.
Rosa’s eyes flashed.
“Why?”
“Because once Lily becomes an official witness, her name enters reports.”
“She is already in danger.”
“I know.”
“You keep saying that.”
Nathaniel looked exhausted.
“I keep saying it because every choice I make now has consequences for your child.”
Rosa opened her mouth.
Then stopped.
Nathaniel continued.
“If we give a formal statement today, Vivien’s attorney will know within hours.”
“He will ask to interview Lily.”
“He may attempt to discredit you.”
“Your immigration status.”
“Your finances.”
“Your parenting.”
“Everything.”
Rosa’s face tightened.
“I’m a citizen.”
“I know.”
“My daughter was born here.”
“I know that too.”
“Then don’t make me sound afraid.”
Nathaniel shook his head.
“I don’t think you’re afraid of court.”
“I think you understand exactly how power works.”
That silenced her.
Nathaniel tapped the photographs.
“I want evidence that does not depend on Lily.”
“So she never has to become the center of this.”
Rosa looked at him differently.
“You’re protecting her testimony by making it unnecessary.”
“Yes.”
Lily entered wearing one of Nathaniel’s expensive dress shirts like a cape.
“Look!”
Rosa closed her eyes.
“Oh, no.”
Nathaniel glanced down.
“That’s a seven-hundred-dollar shirt.”
Lily spun in a circle.
“I’m a queen.”
Nathaniel considered.
“Then I suppose it’s tax deductible.”
Rosa stared at him.
“That is not how taxes work.”
“It might be.”
“It absolutely is not.”
For the first time in days, Nathaniel laughed.
The sound surprised all three of them.
Lily laughed too.
Then Rosa did.
The moment lasted only seconds.
But afterward, the house felt less like a bunker.
That afternoon Margaret was released from the hospital and brought to the safe house.
She entered in a wheelchair and immediately complained about everything.
“The driveway is too steep.”
“The furniture looks Swedish.”
“This soup has no salt.”
Rosa hugged her before remembering she was an employee.
Margaret pretended not to notice the hesitation.
Lily had no such restraint.
She climbed carefully onto the side of Margaret’s chair.
“Grandma!”
Margaret’s face softened.
“There’s my eyewitness.”
Nathaniel frowned.
“Mother.”
“What?”
“Don’t call her that.”
Margaret understood.
“Fine.”
She looked at Lily.
“There’s my terrible poker player.”
“What’s poker?”
“A game your mother will wisely prevent you from learning.”
Rosa smiled.
Later, Margaret asked to speak with Rosa alone.
They sat near the windows overlooking the Sound.
Margaret’s cast rested on a pillow.
“You could have stayed silent.”
Rosa looked uncomfortable.
“I almost did.”
“That’s more honest than pretending courage is easy.”
Rosa stared at the water.
“I need the job.”
“I know.”
“I have Lily.”
“I know.”
“I kept thinking maybe she misunderstood.”
“And?”
“I knew she didn’t.”
Margaret nodded.
“You saved my life.”
“I didn’t.”
“You may yet.”
Rosa looked at her.
Margaret’s eyes were clear.
“Vivien would have tried again.”
That night, Nathaniel and Malcolm reviewed Voss’s financial history.
Money moved through shell companies.
Consulting firms.
Overseas accounts.
One company appeared repeatedly.
Cobalt Meridian LLC.
Nathaniel frowned.
“I know that name.”
Malcolm searched corporate filings.
A Delaware entity.
Registered agent.
No visible owners.
Then Nathaniel remembered.
“Port Newark.”
“What?”
“Four years ago, Voss wanted us to buy a warehouse from Cobalt Meridian.”
“Price?”
“One hundred eighty million.”
“Value?”
“About ninety.”
Malcolm whistled.
“You rejected it?”
“Yes.”
“Voss was furious.”
Nathaniel leaned back.
He saw it now.
Voss had been stealing from Whitmore long before he was fired.
Vivien may have entered the scheme afterward.
Or perhaps not.
“When did I meet Vivien?”
Malcolm asked.
“Three years ago.”
“And Cobalt?”
“Four years.”
“Voss could have introduced her.”
Nathaniel’s stomach twisted.
He had thought he met Vivien by accident at a museum fundraiser.
She had spilled champagne near him.
Apologized.
Made him laugh.
The first woman in months who didn’t seem impressed by his name.
Was that staged too?
His phone buzzed.
A message from Vivien.
I MISS YOU. WHEN ARE YOU COMING HOME?
Nathaniel stared.
Rosa passed behind him and saw the message.
“She’s still pretending?”
“So am I.”
“What did you tell her about me?”
“That you took Lily to Texas because she was frightened after the fall.”
“Does she believe it?”
“I think so.”
Rosa sat across from him.
“Do you?”
“Do I what?”
“Miss her.”
Nathaniel’s face closed.
Rosa immediately regretted asking.
“Sorry.”
“No.”
He looked at the message again.
“I miss who I thought she was.”
Rosa understood that answer more than he expected.
“My ex-husband was like that.”
Nathaniel looked up.
“You were married?”
“For fourteen months.”
“What happened?”
“He gambled.”
“He lied.”
“Then he hit me when I found out he emptied Lily’s savings account.”
Nathaniel’s expression hardened.
Rosa shrugged.
“He never got a second chance.”
“Good.”
“He disappeared before Lily turned one.”
“Does he know where you are?”
“No.”
“Keep it that way.”
Rosa almost smiled.
“You make everything sound like a security briefing.”
“I’m not good at comforting people.”
“I noticed.”
Their eyes met.
Something quiet passed between them.
Neither explored it.
Malcolm interrupted from the doorway.
“We have movement.”
Nathaniel stood.
“Voss?”
“Yes.”
“He left the condo.”
“Where?”
“The airport.”
Nathaniel’s pulse rose.
“Flight?”
“Private.”
“Destination is White Plains.”
Greenwich.
Home.
“Why come back now?”
Rosa asked.
Nathaniel looked at Vivien’s message.
Three weeks until the wedding.
He understood.
“They’re accelerating.”
Malcolm nodded.
“There’s more.”
“What?”
“Voss made one phone call from the car.”
“To Vivien?”
“No.”
“Howard Bell.”
Nathaniel stared.
The retired attorney.
The man whose electronic signature appeared on the forged trust amendments.
Margaret had called him.
He had denied involvement.
Nathaniel whispered, “Howard lied.”
Malcolm shook his head.
“Maybe.”
“Maybe not.”
“What do you mean?”
“The call lasted seven seconds.”
“Then Bell’s phone went offline.”
“His home-security system stopped responding five minutes later.”
Nathaniel grabbed his coat.
“Where does he live?”
“Darien.”
Margaret called from behind them.
“You’re not going.”
Nathaniel turned.
“I am.”
“Send police.”
“They’re already being contacted.”
“Then stay here.”
Nathaniel looked at Lily.
Then at Rosa.
Margaret was right.
He hated that.
Malcolm’s phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“What?”
Nathaniel asked.
Malcolm lowered the phone.
“Police just reached Bell’s house.”
“And?”
“Front door was open.”
Nathaniel waited.
“He’s gone.”
“Signs of struggle?”
“Yes.”
“Blood in the study.”
Rosa covered her mouth.
Nathaniel looked toward the windows.
Voss was cleaning the board.
Meadows was dead.
Bell had disappeared.
Margaret had survived.
Lily had seen too much.
And Vivien was still wearing Nathaniel’s ring.
Then his phone buzzed again.
Another message.
Vivien.
I HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU TONIGHT.
Nathaniel stared at the words.
May you like
For the first time, he wondered whether the trap they were building around Vivien was closing around them instead.
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