Chapter 18 - The Offer
Miles survived.
The bullet had only grazed his side during an earlier struggle.
Lucas surrendered and agreed to cooperate.
He admitted stealing my digital token and transferring the twelve million dollars.
The money had never reached the Cayman Islands.
Daniel had routed it through an account controlled by Evelyn before moving it to a domestic bank under another name.
Investigators recovered nearly all of it.
Whitmore Industries received emergency authorization to release payroll.
Employees were paid two days late.
The company survived.
Daniel and Evelyn were charged with murder, conspiracy, kidnapping, fraud, identity theft, and attempted unlawful imprisonment.
Dr. Shaw faced additional charges for evidence tampering and medical misconduct.
The prosecution’s case was overwhelming.
Still, Evelyn’s attorneys made an offer.
She would plead guilty to financial crimes and testify against Daniel.
In exchange, prosecutors would reduce the murder charge.
The district attorney asked for my opinion.
Legally, the decision was not mine.
Emotionally, everyone treated it as though it were.
Evelyn requested to meet me before I answered.
We sat across from each other in a secure interview room.
She wore a gray jail uniform.
Without diamonds, tailored clothes, and servants waiting nearby, she seemed smaller.
But she was not humbled.
“You owe me this,” she said.
I almost admired the consistency of her arrogance.
“I owe you nothing.”
“I can guarantee Daniel spends the rest of his life in prison.”
“The video already guarantees that.”
“A clever attorney can challenge video evidence.”
“Lucas is cooperating.”
“Lucas is weak.”
“So is Peter.”
“So is Vanessa.”
“So is Dr. Shaw.”
I leaned forward.
“You built your life by collecting people’s weaknesses.”
“You never understood that enough weak people telling the truth can become stronger than one powerful liar.”
Her mouth hardened.
“I protected my son.”
“You taught him that love meant possession.”
“I gave him everything.”
“You gave him your hatred.”
For the first time, pain appeared in her eyes.
It vanished quickly.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“I want the truth.”
“You have the truth.”
“No.”
“I have evidence.”
“I want to hear you say why you watched my father die.”
Evelyn stared at me for a long time.
Then she answered.
“Because he looked at me with pity.”
“That was all?”
“He took the house.”
“He took our name.”
“He made Charles confess.”
“And when Arthur offered Daniel a future, Daniel loved him for it.”
Her voice cracked.
Only slightly.
“My own son admired the man who destroyed his father.”
“So you taught Daniel to hate him.”
“I reminded Daniel who he was.”
“No.”
“You prevented him from becoming someone better.”
Evelyn looked away.
I stood.
“What will you tell the prosecutor?” she asked.
“The truth.”
“That you want the deal?”
“That you tried to negotiate even after everything.”
May you like
Her face paled.
I left the room without promising mercy.
