Chapter 5 - The Woman in the Doorway
Vanessa leaned against the doorframe.
“You’re working at one in the morning?”
Julian closed the safe.
“Couldn’t sleep.”
Her eyes moved toward the open cabinet.
“You usually don’t come in here.”
“Neither do you.”
Vanessa smiled.
“Claire told you.”
Julian did not answer.
“She misunderstood.”
“What were you looking for?”
“Photographs.”
“In a safe?”
Vanessa laughed softly.
“You sound like a prosecutor.”
Julian walked toward her.
He stopped inches away.
“For someone who spent today terrified for my mother, you seem remarkably calm.”
Vanessa’s smile faded.
“I’m tired, Julian.”
“So am I.”
She touched his arm.
“Come upstairs.”
He allowed her to lead him away.
But when Vanessa fell asleep again, Julian remained awake until sunrise.
At seven thirty, he left for Richard Vale’s office.
Richard had served the Hale family for twenty-seven years.
He had been Julian’s father’s closest legal adviser.
He had attended birthdays, funerals, graduations, and board meetings.
If anyone understood the Hale empire, it was Richard.
Julian placed the life insurance file on his desk.
“Why is Vanessa the beneficiary?”
Richard adjusted his glasses.
“You requested it.”
“I requested twenty million.”
Richard frowned.
“The final authorization was forty.”
“Show me.”
Richard pulled up the electronic file.
Julian’s signature appeared at the bottom.
It looked genuine.
Too genuine.
“Who prepared this?”
“My office.”
“Specifically.”
Richard hesitated.
“Emily.”
Emily Shore was Richard’s senior paralegal.
“Where is she?”
“She resigned last month.”
Julian’s suspicion deepened.
“Why?”
“Personal reasons.”
Julian leaned forward.
“And the Continuity Trust?”
Richard’s face changed.
“What about it?”
“It’s missing from my father’s safe.”
Richard leaned back.
“I haven’t touched that document.”
“Who has copies?”
“My office.”
“Anyone else?”
“Your mother.”
“Vanessa?”
“No.”
Julian watched him carefully.
Richard avoided his eyes.
Then Julian asked the question he had been holding back.
“Why did you know I was calling about my mother?”
Richard went still.
Julian waited.
Finally, Richard spoke.
“Vanessa called me yesterday.”
Julian’s jaw tightened.
“What did she say?”
“She said Martha had suffered another episode.”
“Before or after she fell into the pool?”
Richard swallowed.
“Before.”
Julian stared at him.
Martha had fallen into the pool at approximately four twelve.
Vanessa had supposedly been alone with her.
Yet she had called Richard at three forty-eight.
May you like
Twenty-four minutes before Martha went into the water.
And according to Richard’s phone records, the call had lasted eleven minutes.
