Chapter 10 - The Man Behind the Number
Military investigators treated the photograph seriously.
Within hours, Daniel was instructed not to discuss his deployment schedule with anyone outside the investigative team.
The unknown number was traced through several prepaid accounts.
The trail eventually led to a contractor named Eric Vale.
Daniel recognized him.
“Transportation contractor.”
“We used his company twice.”
Agent Chen displayed Eric’s photograph.
Forty-two.
Former logistics supervisor.
Several failed businesses.
One prior fraud investigation that never resulted in charges.
Then I recognized something.
“Wait.”
I enlarged a company record.
Eric Vale owned Meridian Transport Services.
Meridian had received payments from one of Tiffany’s shell vendors.
The pattern was complete.
Family fraud had connected with someone who knew military logistics.
Daniel whispered,
“What did they ask him to do?”
Nobody knew yet.
Eric disappeared before investigators reached his apartment.
His phone went dark.
His credit cards stopped moving.
That evening, Mark called Daniel.
It was the first direct contact since the night of the assault.
Daniel put the call on speaker.
Mark sounded terrified.
“I need to talk.”
Daniel answered,
“Talk.”
“Not on the phone.”
“Then you can talk to investigators.”
“No.”
“Daniel, listen to me.”
“This got bigger than I expected.”
Daniel looked at Agent Chen.
She silently signaled for him to continue.
“What got bigger?”
Mark breathed heavily.
“Mom found Eric.”
“She said he could scare Rachel.”
My skin prickled.
Daniel’s voice became dangerously quiet.
“How?”
“She wanted him to make Rachel stop investigating.”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know.”
“Mark.”
“I swear.”
“I thought he was supposed to follow her.”
“Take pictures.”
“Make her nervous.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“And the photograph of me overseas?”
Silence.
Daniel repeated the question.
Mark whispered,
“That wasn’t supposed to happen.”
The room froze.
“What wasn’t supposed to happen?”
“I don’t know how he got it.”
Agent Chen wrote something quickly.
Mark continued.
“I want protection.”
“From whom?”
“Eric.”
“Why?”
“Because I told him the whole thing was off.”
“When?”
“After you came home.”
“And?”
“He told me we don’t get to cancel.”
The call went quiet.
Then Mark whispered something that changed the case completely.
“He said your mother owes people money.”
Daniel looked at me.
I corrected him softly.
“My mother.”
Mark heard.
“Rachel.”
“I’m sorry.”
I almost laughed.
His apology came years too late.
Agent Chen leaned toward the phone.
“This is Special Agent Chen.”
“Mr. Bennett, you need to tell us where you are.”
Mark panicked.
“No.”
“If Eric Vale has threatened you, we can help.”
“You don’t understand.”
“What don’t we understand?”
Mark’s breathing became ragged.
Then we heard a knock.
Not on our door.
On his.
Mark stopped breathing.
Another knock came.
Three slow taps.
Then Eric Vale’s voice came faintly through the phone.
“Mark.”
May you like
“Open the door.”
The line went dead.
