Chapter 8: The Price They Put on a Little Girl
By three o'clock, the police had established that Catherine's SUV had been seen entering the Lakeview property.
Two patrol cars were stationed nearby.
Darius sat in a small conference room at the police station, staring at the transfer agreement on his phone.
Richard had arrived with a legal assistant and several documents.
Margaret and I sat across from him.
Nobody had touched the coffee.
"Explain it again," Darius said.
Richard opened the agreement.
"Your daughter's trust contains approximately four million dollars in investments and property interests.""
Darius nodded.
"I know how much she inherited.""
"What you may not know is that the trust also owns a controlling interest in a company established by your grandfather.""
Darius frowned.
"Which company?""
"Colebridge Holdings.""
He sat upright.
"But that company was dissolved.""
"Not entirely. A subsidiary remained active. Claire discovered that someone had been using it to move money through accounts connected to the family.""
Darius rubbed his forehead.
"Why would they need Maya's signature?""
"They don't. She's a minor. They need yours or a court-approved administrator.""
Richard pointed to the agreement.
"This document would give an independent-looking company temporary control over the assets. But the company isn't independent.""
"Who owns it?""
Richard looked at me.
"That's the problem. The ownership records have been deliberately obscured.""
Darius stood.
"Then we're not signing anything.""
"Of course not.""
His phone buzzed.
Another message from Vanessa.
*Vanessa:* Catherine says you have until five. If you refuse, she will make sure Maya stays somewhere she can receive proper care.
Darius typed a response.
*Darius:* You have no authority to keep my daughter. Return her immediately.
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
A new message arrived.
*Vanessa:* You should have treated me like your wife instead of Claire's replacement.
Darius put the phone down.
"I never asked her to replace Claire.""
I looked at him.
"Some people don't want to join a family, sweetheart. They want to take control of it.""
Richard nodded.
"There's another matter.""
He removed a printed photograph from his briefcase.
It showed Catherine entering a bank with a man.
The man was wearing a dark suit and carrying a leather briefcase.
Darius leaned closer.
"Who is he?""
"His name is Stephen Miller.""
"Catherine's husband?""
"Her former husband. They divorced twelve years ago.""
Richard placed another photograph beside it.
The same man was standing outside Claire's hospital.
Darius looked confused.
"Why was he visiting Claire?""
"That's what I've been trying to establish.""
Richard explained that Stephen had once worked as an accountant for Colebridge Holdings.
He had left the company after an internal investigation involving missing funds.
Claire had discovered irregularities in the accounts shortly before her death.
"Are you saying Catherine and her ex-husband were involved in stealing from my grandfather's company?""
"I'm saying we have evidence that they were communicating about the trust long before Vanessa married you.""
Darius stared at the photographs.
Then he looked toward the police officer standing by the door.
"Can you contact the officers at Lakeview? I want to know if Maya is there.""
The officer stepped outside.
A few minutes later, he returned.
"We have confirmed a vehicle matching the description. But nobody has answered the door.""
Darius stood.
"Then go inside.""
"We're obtaining the necessary authorization.""
"She's seven years old!""
The officer raised a hand.
"I understand, sir. We're moving as quickly as we legally can.""
I reached for Darius's arm.
"Let them do their job.""
He sat down again.
At 4:17 p.m., Margaret received another photograph.
This time, it showed Maya sitting at a wooden table.
A plate of untouched food was in front of her.
Catherine stood behind her.
There was a document on the table.
Maya was holding a pen.
My heart began racing.
"Why is she holding a pen?""
Margaret enlarged the image.
A handwritten message appeared beneath the photograph.
*She wants her father to stop fighting. We are helping her understand what is best.*
Darius pushed his chair back.
"That's enough.""
Richard caught his arm.
"Wait.""
"She's trying to make my daughter sign something!""
"She's seven. Her signature wouldn't transfer legal ownership. They may be trying to create the appearance that Maya agrees with their arrangement.""
Darius looked at him.
"Then what do they want?""
Richard studied the photograph.
He zoomed in on the paper.
His expression changed.
"That's not a financial agreement.""
"What?""
"It's a statement.""
He turned the screen toward us.
The heading was visible.
*VOLUNTARY REQUEST FOR TEMPORARY FAMILY PLACEMENT.*
Beneath it was a paragraph stating that Maya felt unsafe at home and wished to stay with Catherine.
Darius's face turned red.
"They're forcing my daughter to say she's afraid of me.""
I felt sick.
Richard immediately contacted the police.
He explained that the document could be used to support a fraudulent guardianship application.
At 4:31 p.m., the police received authorization to enter the property.
Darius stood beside the conference room door, unable to sit still.
Then his phone rang.
It was the officer leading the operation.
"Mr. Cole, we've entered the property.""
Darius pressed the phone to his ear.
"Have you found her?""
"We found the vehicle.""
"And Maya?""
A pause.
"There's no one inside.""
Darius closed his eyes.
"What do you mean, no one?""
"The house is empty.""
I felt my legs weaken.
The officer continued.
"We found evidence that someone was here recently. Food, children's clothing, and a purple headband.""
Darius gripped the phone.
"Where is my daughter?""
"We're checking the surrounding properties and reviewing the security footage.""
The call ended.
Darius turned toward Richard.
"They moved her.""
Richard was already examining the latest photographs.
"Not necessarily. Look at the table.""
He zoomed in.
There was a reflection in the glass behind Catherine.
A second person stood near the doorway.
A man.
Darius leaned closer.
"Stephen.""
Richard nodded.
"Yes.""
I stared at the image.
"Why would he be there?""
Richard's phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
Then slowly sat down.
"What is it?"" Darius demanded.
Richard covered the microphone.
"The bank has just confirmed that an unauthorized transfer was attempted this afternoon.""
"From Maya's trust?""
"No.""
He looked directly at Darius.
"From your personal investment account.""
Darius frowned.
"That account has nothing to do with Maya.""
Richard turned his laptop around.
The attempted transfer was for nearly two million dollars.
The recipient was an account registered to Stephen Miller.
But the authorization carried Darius's electronic signature.
Darius stared at the screen.
"I didn't authorize that.""
Richard nodded.
"I believe you.""
Then he pointed to the timestamp.
"The transfer was approved using a device registered to your home.""
I looked at Darius.
His phone.
His laptop.
His office.
All of them had been accessible to Vanessa.
But then Richard noticed something else.
The transaction had been made using a security code sent to a mobile number ending in four digits.
Darius recognized the number immediately.
It wasn't Vanessa's.
It wasn't Catherine's.
May you like
It was Claire's old phone number.
The number that had been disconnected after her death.
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