Chapter 6 - The Family Reunion
Daniel chose the location.
The Vale family cemetery.
Midnight.
Ethan objected immediately.
Charlotte went anyway.
Rain fell over rows of black marble headstones.
Her mother’s grave stood beneath an ancient oak tree.
Daniel waited beside it with an umbrella.
He looked older than Charlotte remembered.
Silver hair.
Expensive coat.
Perfect posture.
He smiled when she approached.
“My favorite niece.”
Charlotte stopped ten feet away.
“Where is Anna Mercer?”
“Alive.”
“For how long?”
Daniel smiled.
“That depends on you.”
Charlotte looked at her mother’s grave.
“You killed her.”
Daniel’s expression remained calm.
“Elizabeth made many enemies.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“It is the only answer you’re getting tonight.”
Charlotte stepped closer.
“You stole from Solmere.”
Daniel laughed.
“Stole?”
He pointed toward the grave.
“Your mother stole everything first.”
Charlotte stared at him.
Daniel’s smile vanished.
“Our father promised the empire would be divided equally.”
“Then Elizabeth convinced him I was unstable.”
“You were gambling company money.”
“I was trying to expand.”
“You lost eighty million dollars.”
Daniel’s eyes darkened.
“Your mother told you that story well.”
Charlotte realized something.
Daniel genuinely believed he had been wronged.
That made him more dangerous.
“What do you want?”
“My half.”
“You’re trying to take all of it.”
Daniel’s smile returned.
“Because half stopped being enough.”
Charlotte felt no surprise.
Only disgust.
“And Vivian?”
“A useful partner.”
“She thinks you’re avenging her mother.”
Daniel shrugged.
“People fight harder when they believe revenge is justice.”
Charlotte remembered Vivian’s anger.
Daniel was manipulating everyone.
Malcolm.
Vivian.
Detective Pike.
Maybe even the board.
“You poisoned my mother.”
Daniel looked toward Elizabeth’s grave.
“She should have signed the transfer.”
Charlotte’s chest tightened.
“That’s why you killed her?”
Daniel stepped closer.
“I gave her opportunities.”
“You murdered your own sister.”
“She chose the company over family.”
“No.”
Charlotte’s voice trembled.
“You chose money over her life.”
Daniel’s eyes changed.
For the first time, she saw rage.
He grabbed her wrist.
“You sound exactly like her.”
Charlotte didn’t resist.
She looked past Daniel.
A tiny red light blinked from behind a cemetery statue.
Ethan had placed a camera there.
Daniel didn’t know he was being recorded.
Charlotte needed him talking.
“Tell me how you did it.”
Daniel laughed.
“You think I’m stupid?”
Charlotte smiled.
“I think you’re proud.”
That worked.
Daniel leaned closer.
“Your mother drank the same tea every night.”
Charlotte’s heart hammered.
“Anna prepared it.”
“Anna didn’t know.”
Daniel smiled.
“But someone else had access to the kitchen.”
Charlotte waited.
Daniel whispered.
“Malcolm.”
Charlotte had what she needed.
Then Daniel suddenly looked toward the statue.
The red light blinked again.
His expression changed.
He released Charlotte.
“You really are Elizabeth’s daughter.”
Daniel raised his hand.
Two men emerged from the trees.
Charlotte ran.
A gunshot shattered the silence.
She fell behind a headstone.
Ethan appeared from the darkness.
He fired back.
“Move!”
Charlotte crawled behind the stone wall.
Daniel escaped toward a waiting car.
Ethan pulled Charlotte toward his vehicle.
As they drove away, Charlotte looked at the recorder.
“We got him.”
Ethan shook his head.
“Not enough.”
“He confessed.”
“He implicated Malcolm.”
“That’s enough to reopen the case.”
Ethan looked at her.
“Not if Malcolm disappears first.”
Charlotte’s phone vibrated.
An alert from Solmere Holdings.
Emergency Board Meeting.
8:00 A.M.
Agenda:
REMOVE CHARLOTTE VALE AS BENEFICIAL OWNER.
Charlotte stared at the screen.
Daniel wasn’t running.
May you like
He was making his move.
And she had less than eight hours to stop him.
