Chapter 13 - Mother
Daniel listened to the voicemail until anger stopped sounding like heat and started sounding like evidence.
Park had it preserved.
Nora had it transcribed.
The prosecutor had it by lunch.
Victoria, meanwhile, vanished.
Her attorney claimed he did not know where she was.
Nobody believed him.
Police obtained a warrant for Victoria’s lake house.
Daniel watched the search from the road because Park refused to let him inside.
“Your mother may be there,” she said.
“Then I should be there.”
“No. Then you should be somewhere she can’t turn you into a hostage.”
Daniel hated sensible people.
An hour later, officers emerged carrying boxes.
Victoria was not there.
Nathan was.
He was found in the study feeding documents into the fireplace.
Park walked him out in handcuffs.
Nathan saw Daniel and stopped.
“This is your mother’s mess,” he said.
Daniel stared at him. “You forged my signature.”
Nathan’s face tightened.
“You have no idea what I was trying to contain.”
“You helped lock up my wife.”
“I kept your family from exploding.”
Daniel stepped closer, but Park’s hand blocked him.
Nathan continued, voice low. “Victoria doesn’t lose. She redirects.”
“Where is she?”
Nathan smiled sadly. “Probably where she can still hurt you.”
Daniel’s phone rang.
Hotel security.
He answered instantly.
“Mr. Harper, there’s been an incident.”
Daniel’s vision narrowed.
“Clara?”
“She’s safe. Mrs. Harper is safe.”
He could breathe again.
“What happened?”
“A package was delivered to the front desk under your wife’s name.”
“What package?”
“It contained a phone.”
Daniel looked at Park.
“Don’t turn it on,” she said.
Too late.
The hotel employee had already done that before calling.
A video had auto-played.
Park demanded the device be isolated.
At the hotel, detectives copied the video.
Victoria appeared on-screen sitting in a room Daniel did not recognize.
Behind her was a grandfather clock.
“Daniel,” she said, “you always needed things explained slowly.”
Isabel’s hand tightened around his.
Victoria continued.
“Your father chose strangers over family. Then Isabel did the same. Now you’re teaching Clara to do it.”
Clara whispered, “I don’t like her.”
Victoria leaned closer to the camera.
“You want the original trust documents? Come get them.”
A location appeared on-screen.
The old Harper textile mill.
Abandoned for twelve years.
May you like
Then Victoria smiled.
“Come alone, or the papers burn.”
