Chapter 8 - Someone Close Enough to Listen
Nathan Keene did not move.
Marcus held the phone away from his ear.
Simon had said someone standing beside him was reporting everything.
Only Nathan remained in the room.
Marcus’s face hardened.
Nathan noticed.
“Do not be stupid.”
Marcus ended the call.
“Then explain.”
Nathan reached inside his jacket.
Marcus tensed.
The attorney produced his phone and placed it on the table.
“Search it.”
“That proves nothing.”
“No. It proves I am willing to let you look.”
Marcus did.
No recent communication with Simon.
No suspicious messages.
Nathan folded his arms.
“Who else knows you came here?”
“Claire. Darius. Rachel. Emma.”
“And your security detail?”
Marcus stopped.
Since the wedding incident, Hale Meridian’s insurer had insisted a company security contractor accompany him whenever he entered corporate property.
A man named Caleb Dunn was downstairs.
Nathan said, “Simon didn’t say someone in this room. He said someone standing beside you.”
Marcus replayed the last hour mentally.
Caleb had been beside him when Claire discovered the RED CREST box.
Caleb had stood outside the tower room when the investigator’s report was opened.
Marcus called Darius.
“Who assigned Caleb Dunn?”
“Corporate risk office.”
“Who approved him?”
A pause.
“Simon.”
Marcus looked toward the stairwell.
Footsteps.
Caleb appeared.
“You ready to head down, Mr. Hale?”
Marcus smiled without warmth.
“Phone.”
Caleb stopped.
“Excuse me?”
“Give me your phone.”
“I’m not required to—”
Darius’s voice came through Marcus’s speaker.
“Caleb, you’re suspended pending review. Hand over all company-issued equipment.”
Caleb’s expression changed.
Then he ran.
Marcus chased him into the stairwell.
It was a stupid decision.
Rachel would later describe it as “one more example of you treating every problem like something you can physically catch.”
Caleb shoved open the fire door.
Marcus grabbed his jacket.
Caleb swung.
His elbow caught Marcus above the eye.
Marcus staggered.
Caleb tore free and reached the next landing, where two Bellmere security officers tackled him.
A phone fell from his pocket.
Its screen lit.
A message was visible.
S.V.: DID HE FIND THE PHOTOS?
Darius arrived minutes later.
Caleb refused to unlock the device.
Police took it.
But the message alone changed the investigation.
For the first time, there was direct evidence that Simon had placed someone near Marcus to monitor him.
That afternoon, Detective Ortiz obtained consent from Hale Meridian to seize Caleb’s company devices.
Bianca’s attorney released a public statement accusing Marcus of “harassing innocent employees while attempting to distract from serious financial irregularities under his leadership.”
Marcus read it in Rachel’s office.
“She is still controlling the story.”
“For now,” Rachel said.
“My daughter’s face is bruised.”
“And Bianca’s face is on every television too.”
“Because I gave her that.”
“Yes.”
Marcus looked at her.
Rachel did not soften.
“You want me to tell you that hitting her helped Emma. It didn’t. It complicated the criminal case, gave Bianca sympathy with people who had not seen the first part of the video, and allowed her to portray you as unstable.”
“I know.”
“Good. Keep knowing.”
Marcus sat back.
It was the first time anyone had spoken to him that plainly since Richard died.
He appreciated it more than he expected.
Claire arrived with a folder.
“Darius found the vendor responsible for restoration work near the vault.”
“Red Crest?”
“No. A legitimate locksmith subcontractor called Adler & Sons.”
Marcus opened the file.
Three months earlier, Adler had received an order to reproduce an antique key.
The request was made on Hale Meridian letterhead.
Authorized by Marcus Hale.
Marcus laughed darkly.
“Of course.”
“There’s more.”
The invoice was paid using Marcus’s personal corporate card.
Rachel raised an eyebrow.
“Did Bianca have access?”
“She booked travel for me before she became CFO.”
“Passwords?”
“She knew too many.”
Claire continued.
“The locksmith remembers the woman who delivered the original key for molding.”
“Bianca?”
“No. He said she was older. Gray hair. Expensive coat.”
Marcus frowned.
“Evelyn?”
Claire shook her head.
“He looked at photographs. Not Evelyn.”
“Then who?”
“He identified someone else.”
Claire showed him a photograph.
Marcus recognized the woman immediately.
Miriam Voss.
Simon’s older sister.
She had served as Richard Hale’s private nurse during the last eight months of his life.
Marcus felt something twist inside him.
“Miriam had access to Dad’s house.”
“And possibly Emma’s key before Richard gave it to her,” Claire said.
Marcus stood.
“Where is Miriam?”
“Arizona, supposedly.”
Rachel checked her phone.
“No.”
They looked at her.
“She flew into Chicago yesterday afternoon.”
“The wedding.”
“Yes.”
“Was she a guest?”
“No.”
Marcus’s pulse climbed.
“Then why was she here?”
Rachel turned the screen.
A traffic camera had captured Miriam’s rental car near the Bellmere at 7:58 p.m.
Nineteen minutes before the vault opened.
Marcus whispered, “She brought the duplicate key.”
Claire nodded.
“And Bianca used it.”
Marcus called Emma.
She answered from Evelyn’s apartment.
“Hi, Dad.”
“Emma, I need you to remember something about Grandpa.”
“Okay.”
“Did Miriam ever see the silver box?”
Emma was quiet.
Then she said, “She tried to take it.”
Marcus stopped.
“When?”
“The day Grandpa gave it to me.”
“What happened?”
“Grandpa yelled at her.”
“What did he say?”
Emma thought.
“He said, ‘You already made one copy. You’re not getting the real one.’”
The room fell silent.
Marcus gripped the phone.
Emma continued, unaware of what she had just confirmed.
“Then Miriam cried.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did Grandpa say anything else?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“He said if she told her brother, everything would be over.”
Marcus looked at Claire.
Simon had known about the key months ago.
Emma lowered her voice.
“Dad?”
“Yes?”
“Grandpa recorded it.”
Marcus froze.
“Recorded what?”
“The yelling.”
“Where?”
May you like
Emma answered simply.
“On the little camera in his clock.”
