Chapter 14 - The Man Behind the Center
Victor Mercer was arrested before dawn at a private airfield thirty miles away.
He had cash, two passports, and a laptop containing encrypted financial records.
Sloane was held separately.
Nolan remained under guard at the hospital.
For the first time since the wedding morning, Graham went home.
Maisie was asleep in Ava's bed with Clover under her chin.
Graham sat beside her until sunrise.
When she woke, she touched his face.
"Is Sloane gone?"
"Yes."
"Forever?"
He chose his words carefully.
"She will never be allowed to take you anywhere again."
Maisie thought about that.
"Did I make her mad?"
Graham's chest tightened.
"No. None of this happened because of you."
She looked toward the framed photograph of Julia on the dresser.
"She said I look too much like Mommy."
Graham pulled her close.
"That is not a bad thing."
Later, Ruiz called.
Victor's laptop had been partially decrypted.
It showed years of payments from Hawthorne Ridge to shell companies, judges' consultants, fake evaluators, and placement brokers.
It also contained correspondence about Julia.
One message from Victor to Sloane was dated six months after Julia died.
Graham read it twice.
Get close to Grant. Find out what Julia gave him. If he has nothing, stay useful.
Sloane had replied:
And if he falls in love with me?
Victor's response was one sentence.
Then you own the door she locked us out of.
Graham stared at the screen.
May you like
Sloane had not met him by accident.
She had been sent into his grief.
