Chapter 10 - THE BEST FRIEND
“What exactly am I making worse?” Daniel asked.
Evan sighed. “Your family.”
“My family is in a hospital because of you.”
“That’s Melissa’s mess.”
“You were paying the doctor.”
Pause.
“You don’t understand the full situation.”
“Then explain it.”
Evan’s voice hardened. “You built Hart Systems because I covered for you when you were reckless. I brought in investors. I kept the board calm. And every year you got richer while I stayed the guy standing two feet behind you in every photo.”
“I never touched Lily.”
“You helped create the system that hurt her.”
Then Evan said, “Melissa came to me. She was already lying online. She already had debt you didn’t know about. I gave her a way out.”
“With my company and my life insurance.”
“You were supposed to step down.”
“And the brakes?”
“You should stop listening to Grant.”
Daniel’s eyes met Ramirez’s.
There it was.
Not a denial.
“Where are you?” Daniel asked.
Evan chuckled. “Still trying to solve everything yourself.”
“Where are you?”
“Check your office.”
Omar called seconds later.
“Daniel, we have a breach.”
“What kind?”
“Someone used Evan’s credentials to wipe executive archives.”
“Can you stop it?”
“I’m trying.”
Daniel grabbed his coat.
Maya blocked the door. “Absolutely not.”
“My company has evidence.”
“The police can secure it.”
“This is my fault.”
“No,” Maya snapped. “Your mistake was trusting people. Their crimes are not your fault. Stay with your daughter.”
At 3:18 p.m., officers entered Hart Systems.
Evan was gone.
His office had been cleaned out.
But he had left one thing on Daniel’s desk.
A framed photo from college.
Daniel and Evan, twenty-two years old, laughing with their arms around each other.
May you like
Across the glass, written in black marker, were five words:
YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED BLIND.
