Chapter 11 - The Doctor Who Tried to Leave
Federal agents met Reeves before boarding.
He was not immediately arrested.
But after being confronted with the Meridian payments, Victor’s toxicology report, and the recovered audio, Reeves retained criminal counsel.
His departure ended.
Two days later, through counsel, Reeves requested a proffer.
Isabella was furious that she could not attend.
Grace explained.
“This is not family mediation.”
“He killed my father.”
“We don’t know that yet.”
“He poisoned him.”
“We have evidence suggesting it.”
“I hate that sentence.”
“It protects cases from becoming fantasies.”
Maria supported Grace.
Isabella hated that too.
Reeves’s account reached them through investigators.
Victor had not suffered viral myocarditis.
He had an underlying rhythm disorder—manageable, according to Reeves.
Charles approached Reeves about making Victor “temporarily incapable” before a major board vote.
Reeves altered medication.
His initial plan, he claimed, was to cause fatigue and arrhythmia severe enough to hospitalize Victor.
“He expects anyone to believe that?” Isabella asked.
Grace said nothing.
Then Reeves discovered Victor was independently testing his blood.
Charles panicked.
A second medication adjustment occurred.
Victor deteriorated.
Reeves refused to call it intentional murder.
He claimed Charles pressured him to conceal the unprescribed compound after Victor died.
The official death certificate listed complications of myocarditis.
“Why?” Isabella whispered.
“Money,” Maria said.
Reeves received $1.9 million.
A familiar answer.
But the deeper revelation involved Julian’s father.
Graham Cross had routed the payment through Meridian Crest.
He had also prepared a false board memo saying Victor intended Charles to remain emergency trustee.
The conspiracy predates Julian’s direct participation.
Yet Julian inherited all of Graham’s private records when Graham died a year before Victor.
Isabella frowned.
“Wait.”
“Timeline,” Grace said.
“Graham died seven years ago. Dad died six.”
“Yes.”
“Then Graham couldn’t route a payment after Dad died.”
Maria leaned forward.
Grace checked the records.
The $1.9 million transfer occurred two months before Victor’s death.
Isabella felt cold.
“They prepaid Reeves.”
That made intent harder to explain away.
Reeves’s “temporary incapacity” story weakened.
Then investigators found a contract executed the same week.
Meridian Crest Medical Risk Advisory.
$1.9 million retainer.
No meaningful services.
Charles had funded the doctor before Victor died.
Isabella whispered, “He planned it.”
Maria said, “Yes.”
Meanwhile, Camille formally entered a cooperation agreement related to the current yacht attack.
No immunity for attempted murder.
Her lawyer negotiated only consideration for substantial assistance.
Isabella approved of that more than she expected.
Camille called once through counsel.
“Can I ask you something?”
Isabella almost refused.
“What?”
“If I go to prison, will you make sure the baby doesn’t go to my father?”
Isabella stopped breathing.
Camille continued.
“I don’t trust Julian. I don’t trust Dad.”
“You’re asking me?”
“Yes.”
“You tried to kill me.”
“I know.”
“And now you want me to protect your child.”
Camille began crying.
“I don’t have anyone else.”
Isabella closed her eyes.
The cruelty of family was that even after betrayal, relationships remained.
“I can’t promise custody.”
“I know.”
“But I will tell your lawyer I oppose Charles or Julian controlling anything involving the child if evidence supports they’re dangerous.”
Camille sobbed.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me.”
Isabella ended the call.
Maria stood in the doorway.
“You did the right thing.”
“I don’t want praise.”
“Good.”
Isabella looked at her.
“Could you forgive Charles?”
Maria’s expression changed.
“No.”
“Ever?”
“I don’t know.”
“What about Camille?”
“She didn’t push me.”
“She tried to drown you.”
Maria sighed.
“Then probably not.”
They laughed once.
It felt wrong.
It also felt human.
That evening forensic accountants connected the old and new schemes.
Charles’s siphoned money helped capitalize Meridian Crest.
Meridian Crest later invested in Cross Strategic.
Cross Strategic received options in Orion Blue’s management vehicle.
Money stolen while Victor was alive had grown into the financial structure motivating Isabella’s attempted murder.
The past had not merely returned.
It had compounded.
Then investigators discovered a document inside Camille’s USB.
A prenuptial draft.
Julian had prepared it six months earlier.
Not for Isabella.
For Camille.
Isabella stared.
“He planned to marry her.”
Grace read.
“After your death.”
The draft granted Julian extensive management rights over Camille’s inherited Laurent shares.
Camille’s attorney had never seen it.
Julian intended to present it later.
He was not only using Camille to inherit.
He planned to control her inheritance after marriage.
Then came another document.
A life-insurance policy application.
Camille Laurent.
Proposed insured amount:
$75 million.
Owner:
Cross Strategic Family Holdings.
May you like
Camille had never signed it.
Julian was preparing for a future in which Camille might also become more valuable dead than alive.
