Chapter 14 - THE PRICE OF SILENCE
Rebecca moved the family to a different location and informed detectives of the envelope. Daniel hated the secrecy. He hated that Noah now cried whenever a suitcase appeared. Most of all, he hated how Lily watched every door as though expecting someone to come through it.
He received an email from an address that looked like a law firm's public inbox. It offered a settlement: drop the financial fraud allegations, agree to shared family access, and Amanda would support an arrangement that left Daniel's business operating.
Attached was a draft statement for Emma to sign. It said the video had been misunderstood.
“Absolutely not,” Daniel said.
Rebecca nodded. “Don't reply. This belongs with law enforcement.”
“Can they keep threatening my kids forever?”
“Not without consequences. But I won't lie and tell you this ends in a day.”
At work, Luis had negotiated a short-term payroll facility based on the verified contracts and inventory. The team got paid. Daniel walked the warehouse floor afterward, thanking workers who had covered his absence without demanding explanations.
An older forklift operator stopped him. “My boy went through something ugly at home,” the man said. “People will tell you to be strong. It's okay if strong means asking for help.”
That night Daniel called his brother, whom he hadn't spoken to much since their mother's death. They cried over the phone in a conversation neither had expected.
Then Chen arrived with a warrant return from Northstar's registered office. Investigators had located a folder labeled EXIT WINDOW.
It included a schedule of legal filings, banking transfers, and planned travel.
The departure date was tomorrow.
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The passenger manifest listed Cody Ellis and three children with the last name Blake.
