Chapter 8 - The Brother Who Stole the Box
Adrian agreed to meet only after Michael threatened to give the surveillance footage to police.
They chose a diner near Paramus at six in the morning.
Adrian arrived without a coat despite the cold.
He looked exhausted.
“Where is the box?”
Michael asked.
“Safe.”
“What was inside?”
“Things my father died trying to prove.”
“They belonged to Laura.”
“They belonged to my family too.”
Rachel slid a photograph across the table.
“Taking archived property without permission is still theft.”
Adrian looked at her.
“Call the police.”
“We might.”
“Then why are we here?”
Michael leaned forward.
“Because Vanessa is burning everything down.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“Vanessa burned down a long time ago.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means she spent twenty years believing your surname was the reason our father stopped sleeping.”
Michael said nothing.
Adrian continued.
“Dad lost his job. Then his pension. Then most of his friends. Every company he applied to called Grant Meridian and heard the same thing: financial misconduct.”
“He was blacklisted.”
“Yes.”
“By Paul.”
“And your father allowed it.”
Michael did not defend Richard.
That seemed to unsettle Adrian.
“I know.”
Adrian looked away.
“My sister didn’t expect you to admit that.”
“My sister tried to stop it.”
“Laura did more than try.”
Adrian reached into his briefcase.
He placed a copy of a bank statement on the table.
In 2010, Laura had personally paid $120,000 into a legal trust benefiting several former Grant Meridian employees.
“She started restitution with her own money,” Adrian said.
“Why didn’t anyone know?”
“Because your father made her stop.”
Michael’s face tightened.
Adrian shook his head.
“No. Not because he was evil. Because the company was one bad quarter from collapse.”
“Paul told Vanessa Richard stole everything.”
“Paul told Vanessa whatever kept her useful.”
Michael leaned closer.
“So Paul recruited her.”
Adrian laughed softly.
“My sister recruited herself.”
He explained.
Vanessa had joined Grant Meridian seven years earlier as a finance consultant.
She already knew Michael’s name.
Already knew Laura’s.
Already knew Paul.
Paul recognized her almost immediately.
Instead of firing her, he befriended her.
“He told her he regretted what happened to Dad,” Adrian said. “He told her Richard had forced him to make the ugly decisions.”
Michael felt sick.
“And she believed him.”
“She wanted to.”
“Then she started dating me.”
Adrian met his eyes.
“At first, yes. That was access.”
The diner noise seemed distant.
“And later?”
Adrian hesitated.
“She changed.”
“How?”
“She stopped talking about revenge.”
Michael almost laughed.
“Six million dollars says otherwise.”
“Two million went to people who were owed money.”
“And four million?”
Adrian’s expression darkened.
“That’s where things went wrong.”
Northstar had been Adrian’s creation.
Vanessa told him she needed a legal vehicle to distribute anonymous restitution without alerting Grant Meridian.
Adrian set it up.
Then Paul introduced additional financing agreements.
“I didn’t understand the acquisition clauses until later.”
“You’re a corporate attorney.”
“I understood the clauses. I didn’t understand Paul controlled both sides.”
Rachel said, “That distinction may matter to a jury.”
Adrian looked at her sharply.
“I’m not asking for sympathy.”
“Good.”
Michael asked, “Why steal Laura’s box?”
“Because Vanessa called me from the airport.”
Michael went still.
“Before or after she pushed Sophie?”
“Before.”
“What did she say?”
“That Paul was going to destroy the originals.”
“What originals?”
Adrian glanced around the diner.
“Proof that he fabricated board minutes in 2009.”
Michael’s pulse jumped.
“Where are they?”
“In the box.”
“Give it to us.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because the minute I do, Paul knows I’ve chosen a side.”
“You already stole it.”
“He doesn’t know I did.”
Michael leaned back.
“You’re afraid of him.”
“Yes.”
It was the first completely honest thing Adrian had said.
Rachel asked, “Does Vanessa have copies?”
“Some.”
“Where?”
“The silver suitcase.”
Michael stared at him.
Adrian continued.
“She was supposed to take the originals out of the country.”
“To Switzerland?”
“Yes.”
“Why bring Sophie?”
Adrian’s face changed.
“I told her not to.”
“So you knew?”
“I knew she had Sophie in the car. Vanessa said she couldn’t go home because Paul had people watching the house.”
“Why didn’t she bring Sophie on the plane?”
Adrian looked ashamed.
“She planned to.”
Michael stood so quickly the table shook.
Adrian raised both hands.
“She said she would take Sophie to Montreal, call you from there and negotiate.”
“Negotiate what?”
“A deal.”
“With my niece as collateral?”
“She said Sophie would be safe.”
Michael grabbed Adrian’s jacket.
Rachel stood.
“Michael.”
Adrian did not resist.
“She panicked,” he said. “At the terminal she realized taking Sophie across the border could become kidnapping. She abandoned the plan.”
“She abandoned Sophie.”
“Yes.”
Michael released him.
Adrian straightened his collar.
For several seconds they stared at one another.
Then Adrian said quietly, “I hate my sister for what she did to that child.”
Michael waited.
“But if you want the truth about Paul, Vanessa is still the person who knows the most.”
Before leaving, Adrian slid a small key across the table.
“What is this?”
“A safe-deposit box.”
“Where?”
“Manhattan.”
“What’s inside?”
“Something Laura gave my father.”
“Why give me the key?”
“I didn’t.”
Adrian stood.
“You never saw me.”
He walked away.
Rachel picked up the key using a napkin.
Michael stared after him.
His phone buzzed.
A court notice.
Emergency guardianship hearing.
Diane Evans had amended her petition.
She was asking the court to remove Sophie from Michael’s home immediately.
May you like
Attached was an affidavit.
Signed by Vanessa Price.
