Chapter 7: The Choice Daniel Finally Made
Vanessa lowered the phone, but Martin reached for the champagne bucket.
Daniel caught his wrist.
“Don’t,” Daniel said.
Martin glared at him.
“Move aside.”
“No.”
Vanessa shoved the phone into her dress pocket.
“That recording is mine now.”
The investigator, Grace Nolan, held out her hand.
“Place the phone on the table, Mrs.
Hart.”
Vanessa gave a bitter smile.
“Which Mrs.
Hart?”
“The one who signed another woman’s name.”
Martin stepped forward.
“My client will answer no questions.”
Grace looked at him.
“You are named in the same financial complaint.
You cannot represent her while protecting your own interests.”
“I have committed no offense.”
Mr.
Bell unlocked his phone.
“The building image, email records and invoice were sent to the investigator before you entered.”
Martin turned on Vanessa.
“You said the invoice could not be traced.”
Daniel flinched.
“So you did know.”
Martin’s jaw tightened.
“That is not what I said.”
Grace opened an evidence bag.
“The phone, please.”
Vanessa looked at me.
“Withdraw the complaint, and I will leave Daniel out of it.”
Daniel stepped beside me.
“No.”
She stared at him.
“You initialed the form.”
“I did.
And I’ll tell them exactly why.”
“You could lose the cottage.”
“I already lost it when I trusted you.”
Vanessa’s voice softened.
“Daniel, we can still fix this.
Your mother wants you dependent on her forever.”
He looked at the frosting dried along my collar.
“My mother did not make you humiliate her.”
“She made me fight for everything.”
“No,” he said.
“She paid for everything.
You mistook kindness for weakness, and I helped you do it.”
Vanessa’s face twisted.
“After all I did for you?”
“You emptied my account, mortgaged Dad’s cottage and forged Mom’s signature.”
“You signed the loan.”
“I did.” Daniel faced Grace.
“I will provide every message, password and bank record I have.”
Martin snapped, “You foolish little man.”
Daniel held out his hand to Grace.
“My phone is in my jacket.
The messages go back six months.”
Vanessa lunged toward him.
Security caught her arms before she reached his pocket.
“Let go of me!” she cried.
Grace removed Elena’s phone and sealed it in the evidence bag.
“Vanessa Vale Hart, you are being taken into custody while we investigate attempted financial fraud, forgery and conspiracy.”
Martin backed toward the side door.
Grace raised a second document.
“Mr.
Vale, this warrant includes your briefcase and electronic devices.”
“My legal files are privileged.”
“Not when they contain evidence of your own conduct.”
He looked around the ballroom for support.
Vanessa’s relatives lowered their eyes.
The officiant stepped forward and removed the signed marriage certificate from his folder.
“This has not been filed,” he told Daniel.
“You need legal advice before anyone submits it.”
Vanessa went still.
“You can’t do that.”
“I can preserve it until the court gives direction.”
Grace guided Martin toward the side door.
He stopped beside me.
“You think you won,” he said.
“Your son will blame you when he has nothing left.”
I looked at Daniel.
“He will have the truth.
What he builds with it is his responsibility.”
Vanessa twisted around as security led her away.
“You’ll come crawling back, Daniel.
Your mother will never love you once she sees what you’ve done.”
Daniel’s face crumpled, but he did not follow her.
The doors closed behind Vanessa and Martin.
Grace turned to my son and opened a second evidence bag.
May you like
“Mr.
Hart,” she said, “now we need to discuss your part in this.”
