Chapter 4 - The Mother’s Secret
For almost a minute, Maya could not speak.
Her mother looked down at her hands.
“What did you do?”
Lorraine's voice was barely audible.
“I transferred the first payment.”
Maya stared.
“What payment?”
“The money Victor used to finance the shell companies.”
Ortiz leaned forward.
“How much?”
“Six hundred thousand dollars.”
Maya stepped back.
“You helped him.”
“I thought I was helping your father.”
“How?”
Lorraine explained that Victor had shown her documents proving Daniel had supposedly stolen money.
He told her the company was collapsing.
He claimed Daniel had been hiding funds overseas.
Lorraine believed him.
So she signed one transfer.
That transfer became the first piece of evidence investigators later used against her.
Daniel discovered what happened.
He knew Victor had manipulated her.
But by then, Victor had begun threatening Maya.
“He told me that if I contacted Daniel, you would die.”
Maya shook her head.
“You should have told me.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“You weren't.”
“I know.”
That simple admission hurt more than an argument.
Ethan watched quietly.
Maya looked at him.
“Did you know?”
“About the transfer? Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't know whether she was cooperating with Victor willingly.”
Lorraine looked up.
“I wasn't.”
Ethan nodded.
“I know that now.”
Outside, Detective Ortiz received an urgent call.
He stepped into the hallway.
When he returned, his expression had changed.
“Richard Vale is missing.”
Maya frowned.
“Who is Richard Vale?”
“The investor Ethan mentioned.”
“What does his disappearance mean?”
Ortiz looked at Ethan.
“It means whoever is cleaning up the original fraud is still active.”
Ethan swung his legs over the side of the bed.
“You need to get Maya out of here.”
“You aren't cleared to walk.”
“I can walk.”
“You nearly died three days ago.”
“I nearly died because I was driving someone away from a place where I was supposed to meet him.”
“Meet whom?”
Ethan stared at Maya.
“Your father.”
Maya felt the room spin.
“What?”
“He was alive.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere outside Richmond.”
“When?”
“The night of the crash.”
“Then why did he leave you alone?”
“Because he saw another car.”
“Whose?”
“Victor's.”
A sudden noise came from the hallway.
A crash.
Then shouting.
The lights flickered.
Ethan stood instantly.
Maya stared at him.
“How are you doing that?”
“Adrenaline.”
The emergency lights came on.
A hospital orderly ran past.
“Security! Somebody's armed!”
Ethan grabbed Maya's hand.
“Stay behind me.”
A gunshot echoed.
Patients screamed.
Ethan pulled Maya into a supply room.
The door slammed.
He checked the handle.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“I need to move.”
“You just told me you were hired to protect me.”
“Yes.”
“Then I'm going with you.”
He stared at her.
“You're stubborn.”
“So are you.”
They slipped into a service corridor.
Ethan moved with the instinct of someone who had spent years anticipating danger.
At the stairwell, he stopped.
Footsteps approached below.
He pushed Maya behind a wall.
A man appeared holding a handgun.
Ethan attacked before the man could raise it.
The struggle lasted seconds.
The weapon clattered onto the floor.
Police rushed in.
The gunman was arrested.
But something else was found on him.
A photograph.
Maya and Toby leaving the hospital.
Taken that morning.
Someone had been tracking them.
The back of the photograph contained four words.
BRING HER TO VALE.
Ethan read it.
His face hardened.
“Vale isn't missing.”
Ortiz looked at him.
“What are you saying?”
“He took Richard Vale.”
“Why?”
“Because Vale has the last piece.”
“The last piece of what?”
May you like
Ethan looked at Maya.
“The proof that Daniel Bennett is alive.”
