Chapter 13 - Midnight at the Vale EstateThe Vale estate was dark when they arrived.
Samuel, Rachel, Thomas, Nora, and Avery stayed in the car.
Daniel was somewhere inside.
Jordan had sent only one message.
COME IN THROUGH THE FRONT.
Thomas examined the house.
“Too quiet.”
Samuel nodded.
Rachel looked at Avery.
“You stay here.”
Avery shook her head.
“No.”
Rachel crouched.
“Sweetheart.”
“Mommy, I know the house.”
Rachel hesitated.
Avery pointed.
“There is another door.”
Thomas looked at Samuel.
“She may be right.”
They entered through the hidden service entrance.
The basement door was unlocked.
That was the first warning.
The second was the blood on the floor.
Rachel covered Avery's eyes.
“Don't look.”
They moved deeper.
A room waited at the end.
Daniel was tied to a chair.
He was bleeding.
Jordan stood behind him.
Madeline stood beside a table.
The blue ledger was the only object on it.
Jordan looked at Rachel.
His face went completely white.
“You're alive.”
Rachel said nothing.
Madeline smiled.
“I knew she would come.”
Samuel stepped forward.
“You wanted the ledger.”
Madeline nodded.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
Madeline glanced at Avery.
“Then I'll take something else.”
Rachel moved instantly.
“Don't touch her.”
Madeline laughed.
“You still think this is about money.”
Samuel looked at Daniel.
“What aren't we seeing?”
Daniel raised his head.
“Your father had another trust.”
Samuel frowned.
“What trust?”
“The original Vale trust.”
Daniel laughed weakly.
“Everything in the company was built around it.”
Madeline's expression changed.
Samuel understood.
“The trust holds the real assets.”
Daniel nodded.
“Rachel's shares were only bait.”
“Then why target Avery?”
“Because she is the legal heir.”
Samuel looked at Avery.
Madeline stepped forward.
“Her signature will be enough.”
Samuel frowned.
“She's six.”
“A court-appointed guardian can sign.”
Jordan's face changed.
“What are you saying?”
Madeline looked at him.
“I'm saying the guardian documents were never about visitation.”
Jordan finally realized.
“They were preparing to declare Avery legally dependent.”
Madeline smiled.
“And you were supposed to sign.”
Jordan looked horrified.
“You said she'd be protected.”
“I said she'd be profitable.”
Jordan backed away.
“You lied.”
Madeline pulled a gun.
“Everyone lies.”
Suddenly the lights came on.
Police flooded the basement.
Madeline spun.
Thomas shouted:
“Drop it!”
She fired.
The bullet struck the wall.
Jordan tackled her.
The gun skidded across the floor.
Samuel rushed to Daniel.
Nora grabbed Avery.
Rachel stood frozen.
Then a detective entered.
He looked at Samuel.
“We have everything.”
Samuel frowned.
“What?”
The detective held up a device.
“Your entire conversation was recorded.”
Madeline stared.
“How?”
The detective pointed toward the ceiling.
“Hidden camera.”
Samuel looked at Rachel.
She slowly smiled.
“Blue elastic.”
Samuel understood.
The elastic had contained the transmitter.
Rachel had planted it days earlier.
Madeline had unknowingly confessed.
But there was one problem.
The detective's expression changed.
“There's something else.”
He held up a second file.
“Jordan didn't order the crash.”
Rachel closed her eyes.
The detective looked at Thomas.
“He did.”
Silence.
Thomas went still.
Samuel turned.
“What?”
The detective continued.
“Thomas Vale is the one who altered the traffic records fifteen years ago.”
Thomas shook his head.
“No.”
“You also helped move Rachel after the crash.”
“To save her.”
“And you deleted the police report.”
“To protect her.”
Samuel stared at his brother.
“You knew everything.”
Thomas looked at Rachel.
“She made me promise.”
The detective raised another document.
“But there's an earlier signature.”
Samuel stared.
It belonged to Daniel.
Daniel looked confused.
“What?”
The detective said:
“The original order for Rachel's death was approved by Daniel Vale.”
Everyone turned toward Daniel.
He looked horrified.
“I never signed that.”
The detective placed the paper on the table.
“It has your signature.”
Daniel stared at it.
Then slowly looked at Madeline.
Madeline smiled.
“I told you.”
Daniel's face changed.
“She forged it.”
Madeline said nothing.
But someone behind her began laughing.
Jordan.
Samuel looked at him.
“What is funny?”
Jordan raised his eyes.
“You still don't understand.”
He looked directly at Avery.
“The man who started all this isn't here.”
Samuel felt a chill.
“Who?”
May you like
Jordan whispered:
“Rachel's father.”
