Chapter 15 - The Chase
Laura had never been the fastest Vale sibling.
Anger fixed that.
She chased Leonard across the wet lawn, past the tennis court and toward the old service road. Mark was behind her. Agents shouted from the cottage.
Leonard reached the waiting car. Laura reached him first and grabbed his coat.
He swung the document packet at her face and shoved her into the door. Pain flashed through her shoulder.
"Get off me!"
"You killed my father!"
Mark tackled him. Both men hit the gravel and papers flew everywhere.
Leonard drove his knee into Mark's stomach and rolled free. He grabbed one page, jumped into the car, and slammed the door.
"Laura!" Mark shouted.
Agent Carson ran past them to an SUV. Richard came from the cottage carrying the pages they had recovered.
"Did we get the ledger?"
Mark snatched them.
"Copies. Transfer sheets. Signatures."
At the bottom were three names:
Daniel Vale.
Eleanor Vale.
Leonard Shaw.
"I signed it," she said.
Laura's voice went cold. "How much did you know?"
"Enough."
"That's not an answer."
"I knew Daniel moved the first money. I knew Leonard created false invoices. I knew Samuel was being blamed."
"And you let it happen."
Anna's face twisted. "My mother sold our house to pay legal bills."
"I know."
"No, you don't."
Anna's voice shook now. "My father missed my graduation. My wedding. My sister's funeral. You lived in this place while my family learned how to visit a prison."
"Don't do that," Anna said. "Don't make me comfort your guilt."
Carson's phone rang.
"They found Leonard's car."
"Where?"
"At the marina."
Richard swore.
Mark looked toward the lake beyond the trees. "He has a boat."
"No," Eleanor said.
"Leonard doesn't own a boat."
"Then why the marina?"
"Because Daniel did."
Mark frowned. "Dad sold the boat years ago."
"He told you he sold it."
"He kept one thing none of you knew about."
"What?"
"A second safe."
Richard's face changed.
Eleanor pointed toward the lake.
May you like
"On the boat."
The House That Lied
