Chapter 12 - What Maya Saw
Richard left the observation room immediately.
He drove home and sat with Maya in the garden.
He did not tell her what Victoria had claimed.
He simply asked about the night before the staircase.
Maya remembered waking after midnight.
She had heard voices downstairs.
Victoria and David were arguing in Richard’s study.
Maya went to investigate.
Through the half-open door she saw David standing over someone.
“Who?”
“I couldn’t see.”
“Was the person moving?”
Maya shook her head.
“What did David do?”
“He put something around them.”
Richard’s chest tightened.
“A blanket?”
“No.”
“A rug.”
Richard remembered the Persian rug missing from the study.
Victoria had claimed it was being cleaned.
Maya continued.
“Then Mr. David saw me.”
“What happened?”
“Victoria came upstairs with me.”
“She said I was dreaming.”
The next afternoon, Victoria led Maya toward the staircase.
Not because of inheritance.
Not directly.
She was eliminating a witness.
Police searched drainage land behind the estate.
Three hours later, cadaver dogs alerted near an abandoned maintenance trench.
A body was found wrapped in a rug.
The victim was Stephen Cole.
The notary.
But police had arrested Stephen at the airport days later.
Richard stared at Grant.
“That’s impossible.”
Grant looked grim.
“The man we arrested wasn’t Stephen Cole.”
The entire case shifted again.
Fingerprints revealed the truth.
The arrested man was Daniel Reeves.
A professional identity thief.
The real Stephen Cole had been dead for several days before the staircase incident.
Someone had sent Reeves to the airport using Stephen’s identity.
Why?
To give police a false suspect.
And to plant the flash drive.
Richard remembered the incriminating documents found in the luggage.
Some were real.
Some were deliberately placed.
Martin had been steering the investigation.
But Maya had seen David disposing of Stephen’s body.
That meant David was not merely frightened.
He was a killer.
The evidence became stronger when police found David’s fingerprint beneath the rug fibers.
A warrant was issued nationwide.
Then Richard received a package.
No return address.
Inside was David’s watch.
And a note.
YOUR LAWYER WANTS TO COME HOME.
TRADE THE ORIGINAL LEDGER.
Richard called Grant.
“This is Martin.”
Grant studied the note.
“Probably.”
Richard looked at the watch.
“David is alive.”
“Maybe.”
Richard thought about everything David had done.
The lies.
The forged paperwork.
The planned guardianship.
Caroline’s medical documents.
Part of him hated the man.
Another part knew David could expose Martin completely.
“What if Martin kills him?”
Grant looked at Richard.
“Then we make sure he doesn’t.”
The trade was scheduled at an abandoned shipping terminal.
Federal agents prepared surveillance.
Richard wore a wire.
Martin arrived alone.
“Ledger.”
“David.”
Martin smiled.
“You keep thinking this is a negotiation.”
Richard stepped closer.
“You keep thinking you’re smarter than everyone.”
Martin’s expression hardened.
Richard continued.
“Caroline built the evidence trust.”
For the first time Martin lost control.
“What?”
“It’s already with federal investigators.”
Martin’s face emptied.
Years of confidence vanished in seconds.
Richard understood something.
Martin had not known.
Caroline had beaten him from the grave.
Then Martin laughed.
“You think that saves you?”
Richard stared.
Martin pointed toward a nearby warehouse.
“David!”
A door opened.
David stumbled outside.
His hands were bound.
Richard saw movement on rooftops.
Agents prepared.
Then David shouted.
“Richard, don’t give him anything!”
Martin pulled David backward.
“You should listen to your lawyer.”
Richard kept Martin talking.
“You murdered my father.”
Martin laughed.
“Your father murdered himself.”
“You sabotaged his car.”
“No.”
Richard froze.
Martin looked almost amused.
“Ask David.”
Richard turned toward him.
David’s face collapsed.
Richard felt the truth before hearing it.
May you like
David whispered, “I did it.”
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