Chapter 8 - The Photograph
Grace did not confront Adrian immediately.
That surprised even her.
Once, she would have demanded an explanation.
Now she had learned that information was strongest before people knew you possessed it.
She sent the photograph to Agent Ward.
Ward studied it.
“Where did you get this?”
“Anonymous message.”
“Could be altered.”
“Could be real.”
Adrian entered ten minutes later.
Grace watched his face.
“Everything okay?”
“No.”
She turned the phone toward him.
His expression changed.
Not guilt.
Recognition.
“You met Martin.”
“Yes.”
Ethan stood.
“You lied.”
Adrian remained calm.
“I withheld it.”
“That’s called lying.”
Grace raised a hand.
“Why?”
Adrian looked at Ward.
“Because Martin contacted me privately.”
“When?”
“Three nights ago.”
“What was in the envelope?”
Adrian reached into his briefcase.
The same envelope.
Inside was a flash drive.
“I gave investigators a copy.”
Ward frowned.
“Not me.”
Adrian’s face changed.
“Agent Pierce.”
Ward went still.
There were three federal officials who knew about the warrants.
Pierce was one.
The leak.
They moved quickly.
Pierce disappeared before they reached him.
His apartment was empty.
But his computer contained payments from a company tied to Martin.
Richard’s network was collapsing.
Still, Grace could not ignore Adrian’s secrecy.
“You should have told me.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Martin said the drive contained evidence about my father.”
“And?”
“I wanted to see it before anyone else.”
Grace understood more than she wanted to.
Everyone had one weakness.
Ethan’s had been admiration.
Adrian’s was his father.
Hers might be family.
The flash drive contained video.
Daniel Vale had recorded a conversation with Richard weeks before his death.
Richard threatened him.
Not explicitly enough to prove murder.
But enough to establish motive.
More importantly, Daniel mentioned account numbers.
Those numbers connected directly to Martin.
Ward finally had the chain she needed.
Arrest warrants were prepared.
Martin disappeared.
Richard did not.
He returned to Calloway headquarters and called an emergency board meeting.
Grace attended.
Seven months pregnant.
Silver-gray suit.
No Ethan.
No Adrian.
She wanted Richard to see her alone.
He smiled when she entered.
“Samuel’s little girl.”
Grace sat opposite him.
“You always underestimated me.”
“No.”
Richard leaned back.
“I underestimated Samuel.”
The board members watched silently.
Grace placed documents on the table.
“As controlling shareholder, the Hawthorne Trust is calling a vote to remove Richard Calloway as chairman.”
Richard laughed.
“You think paper makes you powerful?”
“No.”
Grace looked around the room.
“People do.”
One by one, directors voted.
Richard lost.
Six to three.
For thirty seconds, he did nothing.
Then he stood.
“This company belongs to my family.”
Grace replied, “Then you should have protected it.”
Security escorted him out.
Ethan waited downstairs.
Richard saw him.
“Happy?”
Ethan shook his head.
“No.”
“You let your wife steal your birthright.”
“She saved what you were destroying.”
Richard stepped close.
“You think she’ll take you back?”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
“That has nothing to do with this.”
Richard smiled.
“Everything has something to do with something.”
Then he left.
Grace emerged fifteen minutes later.
Ethan held the door.
She stopped.
“You didn’t come upstairs.”
“You asked me not to.”
“Thank you.”
Two simple words.
They meant more than either expected.
Grace walked outside.
A car waited.
Before she entered, Ethan said, “Grace.”
She turned.
“I’m moving out of the house.”
Her face remained still.
“I thought you already had.”
“I mean permanently.”
He swallowed.
“I’ll send the separation agreement tomorrow.”
Grace had imagined this moment.
She thought it would feel victorious.
It did not.
It felt like burying something that had once been alive.
“Okay.”
Ethan nodded.
She entered the car.
As it pulled away, her phone rang.
Hospital.
Grace answered.
The nurse spoke quickly.
“Mrs. Calloway, you need to come in immediately.”
Grace’s hand tightened around the phone.
“Why?”
“Your obstetrician reviewed today’s test results.”
May you like
A pause.
“We’re concerned about your baby.”
