Chapter 8 - The East Gate
Nathan ran through the estate barefoot.
Daniel reached the security console first.
“East gate camera is down.”
“Since when?”
“Seven fifty-four.”
“Track Sophie’s bracelet.”
“She took it off.”
Nathan’s fear became physical.
Rebecca knew Sophie’s habits.
She knew Sophie wore a child safety bracelet Nathan had bought after Elena disappeared.
Whoever sent the message knew Sophie might remove it.
They reached the east gate at 8:06.
Sophie stood alone beside the road.
Nathan nearly collapsed.
He pulled her against him.
“What were you thinking?”
She shoved him away.
“I wanted Mom!”
A black SUV disappeared around the distant bend.
Daniel saw it.
“Did someone talk to you?”
Sophie nodded.
“A lady.”
Nathan crouched.
“What lady?”
“She stayed in the car.”
“What did she say?”
“That Mom was hiding because you did bad things.”
“Did you see her face?”
“No.”
“What else?”
“She gave me this.”
Sophie held out an envelope.
Inside was a photograph of Elena entering a bank.
On the back:
$2,300,000.
ASK NATHAN WHERE IT WENT.
Nathan recognized the bank.
It was where Asterion maintained an old executive account.
The next morning, he met privately with the bank’s fraud counsel.
The records were devastating.
Two days before Elena vanished, $2.3 million had moved from an Asterion account into an account under Elena’s name.
Three hours later it went offshore.
Nathan’s electronic approval appeared on the transfer.
Elena’s appeared too.
Both had been framed.
But proving it would be difficult.
Rebecca had built the paper trail for years.
Nathan asked the bank lawyer, “Who initiated the wire?”
“Credentials show Mrs. Elena Hale.”
“From what device?”
The lawyer hesitated.
“That requires a subpoena.”
Nathan called Thomas Keene.
The whistleblower attorney refused to discuss Elena.
Nathan said, “She is my missing wife.”
“Former spouse presumptively, depending on jurisdictional status.”
“She is the mother of my child.”
“I understand.”
“Is she alive?”
“I cannot answer.”
Nathan’s hand tightened around the phone.
“Someone just tried to lure my seven-year-old daughter out of my home.”
Silence.
Then Keene said, “Do not call me again from that phone.”
The line disconnected.
Ten minutes later another phone rang.
Daniel had given Nathan an old prepaid device.
Keene.
“There is a public parking garage beneath Union Station,” he said. “Level four. Space 417. Noon.”
Nathan arrived alone.
Keene was waiting.
Gray suit.
No briefcase.
“Where is Elena?”
Keene answered carefully.
“I represented her.”
“Past tense?”
“I still represent her interests.”
“That is not an answer.”
“Elena contacted federal investigators regarding suspected wire fraud, corporate embezzlement, and procurement violations.”
Nathan felt pressure behind his ribs.
“Why wasn’t I told?”
“Because she believed you might be criminally implicated.”
“I was framed.”
“We eventually reached the same conclusion.”
“Eventually?”
“Elena had signed documents she should not have signed.”
Nathan remembered Jonah saying some signatures were genuine.
“What documents?”
“Side letters authorizing Northlight to perform work that never occurred.”
Nathan stared.
“She knowingly approved fake invoices?”
“She believed the invoices were temporary accounting bridges Gavin promised would be reversed.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It does when a company is missing payroll and your CFO tells you disclosure will destroy it.”
Nathan went quiet.
Elena had made a mistake.
A serious one.
“She helped them.”
“For six weeks. Then she realized the money was not returning.”
“And Rebecca used that against her.”
“Yes.”
Keene looked toward the garage entrance.
“Elena believed exposing everything would send you both to prison and leave Sophie vulnerable.”
“So she ran?”
“She cooperated.”
“Where is she now?”
Keene did not answer.
Nathan stepped closer.
“Someone threatened Sophie yesterday.”
That changed him.
Keene whispered, “Elena stopped contacting me three weeks ago.”
Nathan froze.
“What?”
“She missed two scheduled check-ins.”
“Where was she living?”
“I cannot give you that.”
“You don’t know if she’s safe.”
“No.”
“Then confidentiality is protecting nobody.”
Keene looked torn.
Finally he reached into his coat.
He handed Nathan a motel key card.
Printed on it was a mountain logo.
“The last package Elena sent me came from Silver Creek.”
Nathan recognized the town.
Forty miles beyond Hart Ridge.
Keene grabbed his arm.
“Listen carefully. If Rebecca realizes you are close, she will accelerate the merger, destroy the remaining records, and use the criminal referral against you.”
“She already has.”
Keene’s face changed.
“Then you have less time than I thought.”
Nathan returned home.
Rebecca’s car was waiting outside.
She stood beside the front steps.
“You endangered Sophie last night,” she said.
Nathan stared at her.
“You sent the message.”
“Prove it.”
“You knew exactly what would make her walk out.”
Rebecca smiled coldly.
“I know my daughter.”
Nathan’s jaw tightened.
“She is not yours to manipulate.”
“A court may disagree.”
Rebecca handed him another document.
A hearing notice.
She was requesting temporary primary custody.
Then she whispered:
“And tomorrow, I become acting CEO of Asterion.”
Nathan looked up.
May you like
Rebecca’s smile widened.
“The board vote is at nine.”
