Chapter 10: The Flight That Never Took Off
Margaret Lewis was already on the phone before Patricia finished speaking.
“Richard, contact the bank immediately. I want every pending transaction involving the Carter trust frozen. And notify the airport authorities that we have reason to believe original financial documents may be transported out of the country.””
Patricia laughed bitterly.
“You think a phone call will stop Daniel?””
Margaret ignored her.
I stared at the photograph.
Daniel wore the charcoal suit I had bought him for our fourteenth anniversary. Vanessa stood beside him, her hand resting on his shoulder.
They looked relaxed.
Almost happy.
“Where was this taken?”” I asked.
Patricia adjusted her handbag.
“Westchester County Airport. A private terminal.””
“When?””
“Last night.””
I looked at Richard.
“Can we find out whether they actually boarded?””
He nodded.
“I have contacts who can help establish the departure details. But first, we need to know what documents they took.””
Patricia sat down.
“Everything.””
I turned toward her.
“Be specific.””
“The original trust agreement. The property ownership schedules. Robert's personal letters. The adoption records.””
Grace's face tightened.
“Why would they take the adoption records?””
Patricia looked at her.
“Because Daniel wants to prove he has a right to Robert's estate.””
“But he already signed the agreement,” Margaret said.
Patricia shrugged.
“He believes the agreement can be challenged if the original documents disappear.””
I looked at her.
“And you knew about his plan?””
She didn't answer.
“Patricia.””
She lifted her chin.
“I knew he was considering leaving.””
“Considering?””
“I didn't know he would actually do it.””
Brielle suddenly stood.
“You knew!””
Patricia looked at her daughter.
“Sit down.””
“No. You told me Daniel was going to fix everything. You told me Nia was stealing from us. You told me Grace was a fraud.””
“Brielle, don't embarrass yourself.””
“You're the one who should be embarrassed!””
Patricia slapped her palm against the table.
“Everything I did was for this family!””
Brielle's eyes filled.
“Then why did you make everyone lie?””
Patricia looked away.
For the first time, she seemed smaller.
Margaret ended her call.
“We have a problem.””
I turned.
“What?””
“The flight manifest shows that a private aircraft departed at 6:40 this morning. However, we haven't confirmed the passenger identities.””
“Can they be stopped?””
“Not if they're already airborne.””
I looked at the photograph again.
Daniel had known the meeting was happening.
He had sent me a message warning me not to let Richard show me the final page.
He had known Patricia was going to reveal something.
And he had planned his escape around it.
I took out my phone.
“I'm calling him.””
Margaret shook her head.
“Don't discuss the investigation.””
“I won't.””
I dialed Daniel's number.
It rang once.
Then someone answered.
“Hello, sweetheart.””
Vanessa.
My blood ran cold.
“Where's Daniel?””
“He's busy.””
“Put him on.””
Vanessa laughed.
“You always were demanding.””
I gripped the phone.
“You stole documents belonging to a trust you have no legal interest in.””
“That's an interesting accusation.””
“Return them.””
“Why would I do that?””
“Because the bank knows about the forged applications.””
She was silent for a moment.
Then she said, “You should be careful, Nia. You're making a lot of accusations about things you don't understand.””
“I understand enough.””
“Do you? Because Daniel told me you were always easy to manipulate.””
I closed my eyes.
Vanessa continued.
“He said you loved playing the generous wife. Paying bills. Fixing problems. Making everyone believe you were the one holding the family together.””
I felt my throat tighten.
“And what did you love doing?””
She laughed.
“Spending the money.””
I looked at Margaret.
She motioned for me to keep her talking.
“Where are you?””
“Somewhere beautiful.””
“Are you with Daniel?””
“Of course.””
“Does he know you're using him?””
Her laughter stopped.
“Excuse me?””
“You heard me. You needed his access to the Carter documents. He needed your company to move money. Neither of you trusted the other.””
A pause.
Then Vanessa said quietly, “You don't know anything about us.””
“Then tell me why Daniel's birth certificate was altered.””
Silence.
I felt my pulse quicken.
“Vanessa?””
She breathed sharply.
“Who told you about that?””
I looked at Patricia.
She was staring at me now.
“Your mother-in-law.””
Vanessa cursed under her breath.
Then the line went dead.
I lowered my phone.
Margaret looked at me.
“Did she say anything useful?””
“She confirmed they're together.””
“That isn't enough.””
Richard returned from the hallway holding a printed document.
“We have confirmation. The aircraft landed at a private airfield in the Bahamas.””
Grace stood.
“Can they leave from there?””
“Yes. But we've notified the relevant authorities through the appropriate channels. We also have grounds to request an urgent preservation order concerning the disputed trust assets.””
Patricia suddenly began crying.
Not quietly.
Not delicately.
She covered her face and shook.
Brielle stared at her.
“What's wrong with you?””
Patricia lowered her hands.
“I never wanted it to end this way.””
I looked at her.
“You had fourteen years to choose a different ending.””
She shook her head.
“You don't understand what Robert did to me.””
“Then explain it.””
Patricia looked at Grace.
“Your father loved your mother.””
Grace didn't respond.
“He wanted to leave me. He wanted to give everything to her and her children. I had already lost my place in his life before he died.””
I folded my arms.
“So you decided to take it from us?””
“I wanted to protect Daniel.””
“By helping him steal?””
Patricia's eyes filled again.
“Daniel was the only person I had left.””
Brielle stood.
“You had me.””
Patricia looked at her.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Brielle said, “You never protected me. You just taught me how to protect your lies.””
She walked out.
I wanted to follow her, but Richard's phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
Then his expression changed.
“What do you mean the original documents were not on the aircraft?””
Everyone turned toward him.
He listened for another few seconds.
Then he ended the call.
“Apparently, Daniel and Vanessa traveled with copies.””
I frowned.
“Where are the originals?””
Richard opened his briefcase and removed a document.
“They were transferred to a storage facility under a different name.””
“Whose name?””
He turned the paper toward me.
The registered owner was Miller Holdings LLC.
I looked at Grace.
“Vanessa's company.””
Margaret nodded.
“Then that's where we'll look.””
Patricia suddenly stood.
“You can't go there.””
I turned.
“Why?””
“Because you don't know what you're looking for.””
Richard studied her.
“Mrs. Carter, what else is in that facility?””
She stared at the floor.
Finally, she whispered, “Robert's original will.””
Grace stepped forward.
“Then we need it.””
Patricia looked at her with an expression I couldn't read.
“You don't understand. That will contains something that could destroy Daniel.””
“What?””
Patricia's voice dropped.
“Robert knew Daniel wasn't his biological son. He also knew Daniel had been stealing from the company for years.””
I felt a chill move through me.
“So why did he leave him an inheritance?””
Patricia looked directly at me.
“Because Robert knew Daniel was capable of doing something much worse.””
Before anyone could ask another question, her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
The color drained from her face.
“It's Daniel.””
She answered.
“Daniel? Where are you?””
A man's voice came through the speaker.
It wasn't Daniel.
It was Vanessa.
“Tell Nia something for us.””
Patricia put the call on speaker.
Vanessa laughed.
“We found Robert's final letter.””
May you like
Then she said the words that made Grace collapse into her chair.
“And it says he never wanted Patricia to raise either of his children.””
