Chapter 7: The Last Bargain
John opened his fingers.
Before the drive could fall, the security officer struck the glass aside.
Champagne spilled across the carpet, and the drive landed beneath the table.
Eleanor lowered herself carefully and picked it up.
“I believe this belongs to the investigators.”
John’s face twisted.
“You have no idea what you’re holding.”
“I’m holding the reason you wanted me overseas.”
One investigator placed the drive in an evidence bag.
“Mr.
Mercer, step away from the stairwell.”
John pointed at Vanessa.
“She authorized every transfer.”
Vanessa laughed once, but there was no humor in it.
“You designed Northstar.
You opened the accounts.”
“And you provided the signatures.”
“You promised I would be protected.”
“I promised nothing in writing.”
Lucy tapped her laptop.
“Actually, you did.”
She opened another message.
JOHN: IF THE AUDIT FINDS THE TRANSFERS, VANESSA TAKES RESPONSIBILITY.
HER PROMOTION MAKES HER THE AUTHORIZED OFFICER.
Vanessa read it twice.
“You planned to blame me from the beginning.”
John shrugged.
“You were willing to blame Daniel.”
The officer asked John to place his hands where they could be seen.
“Am I under arrest?”
“You are being detained while the financial warrant is confirmed.”
John looked at me.
“Call your lawyer, Daniel.
Your credentials were still used.”
“My lawyer is already downstairs,” Eleanor said.
Vanessa spun toward her.
“You brought a lawyer?”
“I brought two.”
The elevator opened, and a silver-haired woman entered with a leather folder.
“I’m Grace Holloway,” she said.
“I represent Eleanor and Daniel Hale.”
Vanessa rushed toward her.
“I’ll testify against John.
I’ll return whatever is left.”
Grace did not open the folder.
“In exchange for what?”
“No charges.
No public hearing.
Daniel can have the divorce.”
I looked at her.
“You’re offering me freedom from a marriage you already destroyed?”
“I can still protect you.”
“You used my name to transfer $2.4 million.”
“But the bank stopped it.”
“You took your mother’s $420,000.”
“John has most of it.”
John laughed.
“Not anymore.”
One investigator turned to him.
“What does that mean?”
“The money was moved yesterday.”
“Where?”
John looked at Vanessa.
“Ask your husband.”
Vanessa’s head snapped toward me.
I shook my head.
“I know nothing about it.”
Grace opened her folder.
“The bank traced three outgoing payments from Northstar.
One purchased a coastal property in John Mercer’s name.
One paid a private account controlled by him.
The third went to a trust.”
Vanessa stared at John.
“You bought a house?”
He said nothing.
“You told me we were renting in Spain.”
“You were never coming to Spain.”
Her knees weakened, and she gripped the table.
I stepped forward without thinking, but Eleanor touched my sleeve.
“No, Daniel.”
Vanessa looked at me, waiting for the comfort I had given her for twelve years.
I stayed beside Eleanor.
The officer secured John’s wrists.
John glared at Vanessa as he was led toward the elevator.
“You wanted the promotion,” he said.
“Now you can explain what you did with it.”
Vanessa watched the doors close behind him.
Grace turned to her.
“Mrs.
Hale, the investigators would like your phone.”
Vanessa pressed it against her chest.
“If I give it to them, can Daniel and I speak alone first?”
“No,” I said.
Her face crumpled.
Eleanor took one step toward her daughter.
“There is still one thing you can do.”
“What?”
“Tell the truth without asking what it will buy you.”
Vanessa surrendered the phone.
As the investigator sealed it in a bag, Eleanor leaned against me.
“Daniel,” she whispered, “there is something about that trust you need to know.”
Grace looked up sharply.
Eleanor tightened her hold on my arm.
May you like
“The money wasn’t sent there by John,” she said.
“It was sent there by Vanessa.”
