Chapter 4 - The Dead Man's Drive
Mark drove home like a man trying not to outrun his own thoughts.
Chloe stayed with me in the back seat.
Every few minutes she asked, "Is Aunt Vanessa going to come back?"
I kept saying, "Not near you."
I meant it as a promise.
At home, Mark went straight to the study.
He opened the bottom drawer of his father's old desk and removed a yellow envelope.
On the front was written:
FOR MARK. ONLY IF THE BOOKS STOP MAKING SENSE.
I stared at him.
"You've had that for six years?"
"I never opened it."
"Why?"
"Because my father trusted Vanessa."
"No. Your father trusted you enough to leave you a warning."
Mark tore the envelope open.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
If you are reading this, someone has found the audit copy. The blue drive is not a backup. It is proof.
Mark sat down hard.
"My father died of a heart attack three weeks after he wrote this."
"Do you think Vanessa knew?"
"I don't know what I think anymore."
His phone rang.
Vanessa.
He stared at the screen until it stopped.
Then a text appeared.
YOU ARE DESTROYING THIS FAMILY OVER A CHILD'S LIE.
Mark typed back.
YOU PUSHED MY DAUGHTER.
Three dots appeared.
Then vanished.
Another message arrived.
ASK SARAH WHY SHE REALLY WANTED YOU TO FIRE ME LAST YEAR.
I laughed in disbelief.
"She's trying to turn you against me."
"I know."
But he did not sound certain enough.
Before I could say anything, Chloe called from the hallway.
"Mom?"
She held her little purple backpack.
"I forgot."
She unzipped the front pocket and pulled out a folded slip of paper.
A small strip with numbers written across it.
"I found it when Aunt Vanessa dropped the blue thing."
Mark took it.
At the top was the name ALDER RIDGE CONSULTING.
Below it were four transfers.
$240,000.
$380,000.
$510,000.
$1.2 million.
Mark stared at the dates.
"These came from Bennett Freight."
I looked at the final line.
AUTHORIZED BY: MARK BENNETT.
Mark shook his head.
"I never signed these."
Then someone knocked hard on our front door.
Three times.
May you like
A man's voice called from outside.
"Mark Bennett? We need to talk about your sister before she gets someone killed."
