Chapter 2 - The Debt in Her Husband’s Name
Marcus entered carrying a second folder.
Ethan minimized the surveillance image.
“You froze collection?” Ethan asked.
“Yes.”
“Every action?”
“Yes.”
Marcus placed the folder down.
“But there’s something you should know.”
Ethan watched him.
“What?”
“Daniel Bennett wasn’t merely stealing.”
Marcus opened the folder.
“He was preparing to expose us.”
Ethan did not react.
“Explain.”
Marcus showed him emails allegedly written by Daniel.
They described shell companies, port payments, and offshore accounts connected to Cain Logistics.
Some were legitimate corporate structures.
Others belonged to the darker side of Ethan’s empire.
If Daniel had possessed the entire archive, he could have destroyed Ethan.
Yet something was wrong.
Daniel had never attempted blackmail.
He had never contacted police.
He had never contacted a journalist.
Then he died.
“Who investigated his accident?”
“Wisconsin authorities.”
“Get the report.”
Marcus nodded.
Ethan studied him.
“What watch are you wearing?”
Marcus looked down.
A different watch.
Plain steel.
“My everyday one.”
“Where’s the Vacheron?”
Marcus smiled faintly.
“Safe at home. Why?”
“No reason.”
That evening, Ethan went to Valerie’s house.
It was a narrow brick home on a quiet street.
He knocked.
Valerie opened the door and immediately frowned.
“How did you find me?”
“I had your address.”
“Of course you did.”
She tried closing the door.
“Your signature was forged.”
The door stopped.
“What?”
“On Daniel’s company documents.”
Valerie stared at him.
“Come inside.”
Her home was modest.
Clean.
Warm.
Photographs covered one wall.
Daniel and Valerie.
Their wedding.
Vacations.
Ordinary happiness.
Ethan forced himself to look.
Then he saw a photograph of Daniel standing beside a Cain Logistics truck.
“Did Daniel ever mention Account 417?”
Valerie’s face changed.
“No.”
“You’re lying.”
“You haven’t seen me in twelve years. You don’t know when I’m lying.”
“Yes, I do.”
She looked away.
Ethan waited.
Finally Valerie walked to a cabinet.
She removed an envelope.
“Daniel gave me this two weeks before he died.”
Inside was a key.
Number stamped on it:
Ethan’s pulse slowed.
“Where does it go?”
“I don’t know.”
“He said if anything happened, I should sell my grandmother’s ring.”
Ethan looked at her.
“Why?”
“He said someone would notice.”
The room became very quiet.
“Someone did,” Ethan said.
Valerie’s eyes met his.
“Daniel wanted you to find me.”
A car stopped outside.
Ethan glanced through the curtain.
Black sedan.
No plates.
“Go upstairs.”
“What?”
“Now.”
The front door exploded inward.
Ethan pulled Valerie behind him.
One of his security men rushed from the rear entrance.
Footsteps crossed the porch.
Then stopped.
No gunfire.
Nothing.
Ethan approached carefully.
An envelope lay on the floor.
His name was written across it.
ETHAN CAIN.
Inside was a photograph.
Daniel Bennett.
Alive.
The timestamp was three days after his supposed death.
On the back were five words:
ASK MARCUS WHO WAS DRIVING.
May you like
Ethan’s phone rang.
Marcus’s name appeared on the screen.
