Chapter 6: The Blood on the Study Floor
“Whose blood?””
My father's question was so quiet that everyone in the conference room stopped moving.
Marcus held his phone against his ear.
“The police haven't confirmed that yet. They're treating the house as a potential crime scene.””
“Was anyone else inside?””
“Diane and Vanessa were there. Both are being questioned.””
I grabbed my handbag.
“I'm going with you.””
My father immediately shook his head.
“Absolutely not.””
“Dad, Richard is missing, and Ryan is involved in all of this. I need to know what's happening.””
“You need to stay somewhere secure.””
“Someone just threatened you using a photograph. They're already involving me whether you like it or not.””
He looked at Marcus.
Marcus hesitated before nodding.
“We can arrange security and take her with us. But she stays outside the investigation perimeter.””
Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the Whitmore residence.
Two police vehicles were parked in the driveway. Yellow crime-scene tape stretched across the entrance.
A uniformed officer approached.
“Are you Alexander Bennett?””
“Yes.””
“Detective Miller. I've been informed your company may be connected to the financial investigation.””
My father nodded.
“We received a threatening message earlier today.””
“Have you preserved it?””
“Yes. Our legal counsel has the original.””
Detective Miller glanced toward me.
“And you are?””
“Maya Bennett.””
His expression changed slightly.
“Ryan Whitmore's former girlfriend?””
I swallowed.
“That's correct.””
He opened his notebook.
“We'll need to speak with you separately.””
Before I could answer, the front door opened.
Diane emerged between two officers.
Her hair was disheveled. Her expensive cream-colored coat was buttoned incorrectly, and she was clutching her handbag against her chest.
When she saw me, her face twisted.
“You!””
I stood still.
Diane pulled away from the officer.
“You did this!””
“Mrs. Whitmore,” the officer warned.
She pointed at me.
“You brought your father's people into our home! You destroyed our family!””
I stared at her.
“Your family was involved long before I knew anything.””
Diane laughed bitterly.
“You think you're better than us because your father has money?””
“No. I think I deserve the truth because someone has been stealing from my family's company.””
Her face went pale.
The detective stepped between us.
“Mrs. Whitmore, please.””
Diane looked at my father.
“You have no idea what you're doing, Alexander.””
My father remained calm.
“Then explain it to me.””
She looked away.
That was when I noticed something.
There was a dark red stain near the cuff of her coat.
I couldn't tell whether it was blood.
But she kept pulling the sleeve down.
A few minutes later, Vanessa came outside.
She looked nothing like the confident woman who had laughed at my clothes on Thanksgiving.
Her makeup was smeared. Her hands trembled.
When she saw me, she stopped.
“Maya?””
I walked toward her.
“Where's your father?””
Vanessa looked at the officers.
“I don't know.””
“Was he home last night?””
She nodded.
“What happened?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I heard them arguing.””
“Who?””
“Dad and Ryan.””
My stomach tightened.
“Ryan was here?””
She nodded again.
“Last night. Around ten.””
I looked at Detective Miller.
“Did you know Ryan was here?””
He wrote something down.
“His vehicle was captured on a neighboring security camera. We're trying to locate him.””
Vanessa grabbed my arm.
“Maya, you have to understand. Dad was scared.””
“Scared of what?””
She looked over her shoulder.
Then whispered, “Ryan told him the money was gone.””
I stared at her.
“What money?””
“The eighteen million. Dad thought it was still sitting in the account.””
“Where is it?””
“I don't know.””
“Vanessa, listen to me. Someone may be seriously hurt. You need to tell the police everything.””
She began crying.
“Dad said Ryan had a second set of books. He said there was another account that nobody knew about.””
Marcus approached.
“Did your father tell you where?””
Vanessa shook her head.
Then she looked directly at me.
“But he said something about a storage facility.””
“What storage facility?””
“Near the airport. He said if anything happened, we should look inside Unit 417.””
Detective Miller immediately called another officer.
My father took my hand.
“That's enough. Let the police handle it.””
But before we could leave, Diane suddenly spoke.
“Don't listen to her!””
Everyone turned.
Diane was standing near the doorway.
“Vanessa doesn't know anything. She's been confused ever since her father started drinking.””
Vanessa flinched.
“Mom, stop.””
Diane stepped toward her.
“You have no idea what you're saying.””
“I heard you talking to Ryan!””
Diane went silent.
Vanessa wiped her face.
“You told him Dad was going to confess. You told him to get rid of the documents.””
Diane's expression hardened.
“Be quiet.””
The officer immediately moved between them.
“Mrs. Whitmore, step back.””
Diane looked at Vanessa with an expression I had never seen before.
Not disappointment.
Fear.
The detective escorted Diane inside for further questioning.
As we walked toward the driveway, Vanessa called my name.
“Maya!””
I turned.
She was standing beside the officer.
“I need to tell you something about Ryan.””
“What?””
She swallowed.
“He didn't just start dating you because of your father.””
I waited.
Vanessa's voice dropped.
“He was supposed to marry Olivia.””
My stomach tightened.
“What?””
“They had an agreement. Their families were going to work together. But Olivia found out about the financial transfers and ended everything.””
“Then why did Ryan come after me?””
Vanessa looked at the ground.
“Because Olivia told him something.””
“What?””
“That your father was planning to transfer his controlling voting rights to you on your twenty-fifth birthday.””
The world seemed to stop.
Vanessa continued.
“Ryan said if he married you, he could eventually influence your decisions. He believed your father would trust him.””
I felt sick.
“Did Ryan ever love me?””
Vanessa's eyes filled again.
“I don't know.””
I looked away.
I didn't want to hear anything else.
As we reached the car, my father placed a hand on my shoulder.
“You don't have to carry this alone.””
I nodded.
But there was one thing I needed to know.
If Ryan had spent almost a year manipulating me, how much had he actually learned about my family?
That evening, Marcus called.
The police had searched the storage facility.
Unit 417 contained several boxes of financial records, three encrypted laptops, and a briefcase filled with original contracts.
But there was something else.
A handwritten note.
It was addressed to me.
The detective read it over the phone.
If Maya is reading this, Ryan has already decided to sacrifice someone.
May you like
And beneath that sentence was a name.
*Diane Whitmore.*
