Chapter 14 - The Notary
Security footage showed Travis forcing her into a delivery van.
Ethan watched it once.
He did not watch it again.
Chen received a message from Grant twenty minutes later.
CLAIRE'S DRIVE FOR MAYA. MIDNIGHT. OLD RIVER PLANT.
"We give him a copy," Chen said.
"He'll check it."
"Then we make a perfect copy."
While technicians duplicated the drive, a woman named Camila Brooks walked into police headquarters asking for Detective Chen.
She was a mobile notary.
Three months earlier, she had witnessed the false voting agreement that supposedly carried Ethan's signature.
"I knew he wasn't there," Camila said. "Mr. Grant told me Ethan had already signed and was too sick to appear. Nora showed me a video of Ethan in bed and said he had consented."
"Why are you telling us now?" Ethan asked.
Camila looked ashamed.
"Because they paid me. And then Travis came to my apartment last night and told me people who talk have accidents."
She handed Chen a small flash drive.
"I started recording meetings after the first time they threatened me."
Grant pointed at a calendar.
"We don't need Ethan dead," he said. "We need him legally useless."
Nora asked, "And the kid?"
Grant shrugged.
"Once Nora has guardianship, Lily becomes leverage."
Dr. Vale looked uncomfortable.
"Repeated exposure is unpredictable."
Grant leaned toward him.
"Then make the paperwork predictable."
The next clip was older.
Three years older.
Claire's name appeared in the timestamp notes.
Travis asked, "What if the brake job gets traced?"
Grant replied, "It won't."
Nora's voice came from off camera.
"And if it does?"
Grant looked directly toward her.
"Then Claire won't be around to explain why she was looking."
Ethan gripped the table until his knuckles hurt.
They finally had it.
It was no longer suspicion. It was a conspiracy.
Then Chen's phone buzzed.
Grant had sent a photograph of Maya tied to a chair.
Behind her was a rusted sign.
MERCER RIVER FACILITY - TURBINE ROOM.
May you like
The old plant had six entrances.
And one tunnel running beneath the river.
