Chapter 4 - The Company With No Office
By dawn, the storm had weakened.
Daniel had not slept.
Neither had Vanessa.
She had moved into another suite under the watch of yacht security, though Daniel stopped short of ordering her confined.
That was his first legal instinct returning.
He owned the yacht.
He did not own the people on it.
If Vanessa had committed crimes, law enforcement would handle them.
He would not make another mistake out of rage.
Grace remained beside Noah.
At six thirty, Daniel’s attorney, Rebecca Sloan, joined by satellite video from Miami.
Rebecca had represented Mercer Maritime for eleven years.
She listened to the recording twice.
“This is serious,” she said.
“I know.”
“No. I mean serious for you too.”
Daniel frowned.
“The transfer records show Vela Marine Consulting received twelve point four million from Mercer Maritime.”
“And?”
“The authorization token came from your executive account.”
“It was forged.”
“Possibly. But the receiving bank then sent eleven million to another entity called DM Strategic Holdings.”
Daniel stared.
“DM?”
“Daniel Mercer.”
“I have no company by that name.”
“Someone does.”
Rebecca shared incorporation records.
DM Strategic Holdings LLC had been formed in Delaware seven months earlier.
Its beneficial ownership filing identified Daniel Mercer.
The mailing address belonged to a private document service.
The bank account had been opened remotely.
“Who certified the identification?” Daniel asked.
“An outside attorney.”
“Name?”
Rebecca hesitated.
“Elliot Crane.”
Daniel knew him.
Vanessa’s personal lawyer.
Daniel leaned back.
“Of course.”
Rebecca said, “The board has already hired outside counsel.”
“To investigate me.”
“Yes.”
“Can we stop Friday’s vote?”
“Maybe. But if the proxy is presumed valid, Vanessa can vote your shares until a court says otherwise.”
“I never knowingly signed it.”
“That helps. It doesn’t solve today.”
Daniel rubbed his eyes.
“What do you need?”
“The original packet Vanessa gave you at the hospital.”
“I don’t have it.”
“Hospital surveillance. Staff witnesses. Metadata from the electronic copy. Anything showing substitution.”
Daniel thought of the medical room.
Noah sick.
Vanessa placing papers on the table.
A nurse entering.
Not Grace.
Someone else.
“Hospital cameras.”
“I’ll subpoena them if necessary, but voluntary preservation is faster.”
Daniel nodded.
Then Rebecca added, “Do not confront Julian.”
Daniel looked toward the door.
“Why?”
“Because if he’s involved, he needs to believe you know less than you do.”
Too late.
Daniel had already sent Julian a message twenty minutes earlier.
I know about Vela. We’re done.
He closed his eyes.
Rebecca saw his expression.
“What did you do?”
“I texted him.”
“For God’s sake, Daniel.”
“He threatened my son.”
“You have an audio recording suggesting conspiracy. Now he knows you have evidence.”
Daniel hated hearing it because she was right.
His anger had exposed their position.
Rebecca said, “No more improvising.”
“Understood.”
A soft knock came from the adjoining room.
Noah was awake.
Daniel ended the call and went to him.
His son looked pale.
“Are the police coming?”
“Eventually.”
“Is Vanessa going to jail?”
“I don’t know.”
Noah frowned.
“But she did something bad.”
“Yes.”
“Then why don’t you know?”
Daniel sat beside him.
“Because in America, people have to prove what happened. Even when we believe we know.”
Noah looked at the blue airplane resting on the blanket.
“Mom would have believed me.”
The words hurt.
“I believe you.”
“You didn’t believe me when I said Vanessa didn’t like me.”
Daniel went still.
Months earlier, Noah had complained that Vanessa locked his toys away when Daniel traveled.
Daniel had called it discipline.
Noah had said Vanessa told him his mother’s pictures made the house “sad.”
Daniel had told him Vanessa was trying.
He had chosen peace over listening.
“I was wrong,” Daniel said.
Noah’s eyes filled.
Daniel took his hand.
“I’m sorry.”
Someone knocked sharply.
The captain entered.
“Sir, we have a problem.”
Daniel stood.
“What?”
“Julian Reed left.”
“How?”
“Emergency tender.”
“I ordered nobody off the yacht.”
“He showed a signed authorization.”
Daniel knew before he asked.
“Mine?”
“Yes.”
“Where did he go?”
“Nassau.”
The captain handed Daniel a printed departure log.
Julian had taken one bag.
And one locked silver case.
Noah saw it.
His face changed.
“That’s the box.”
Daniel turned.
“What box?”
“The one Mr. Reed had yesterday.”
“What was inside?”
Noah whispered, “Pictures of your signatures.”
Daniel looked toward the shrinking lights of Nassau beyond the windows.
May you like
His own warning message had sent Julian running.
And perhaps taken the best evidence with him.
