Chapter 13 - The Man Inside My Company
Peter Sloan had worked beside me for eleven years.
He had held Lily at her christening.
He had spoken at Claire’s funeral.
When I called him into a boardroom the next morning, I wanted to break something.
Instead, Detective Ellis sat behind tinted glass in the adjoining room while I asked questions.
“Did you know Claire was investigating the Vance transactions?”
Peter went still.
“Why are we talking about old property deals?”
“Answer me.”
“Yes.”
“Did you warn Harold?”
“No.”
“Did you warn Victoria?”
His eyes flicked toward the door.
That was enough.
Peter stood.
“I think I need a lawyer.”
“Probably.”
Before he reached the door, Ellis entered with two officers.
A search of Peter’s office uncovered copies of my signature, internal security layouts, and payments routed through a consulting company owned by Evelyn Shore’s brother.
The cloned Harbor Point badge had come from him.
By afternoon, Peter was cooperating.
His version was ugly but simple.
Years ago he had taken kickbacks from Vance Development. Claire noticed. He buried the evidence. After Victoria met me, she discovered the old scheme through her father’s files and realized the missing records might still exist.
“So she married me for documents?” I asked.
Peter shook his head. “At first? Maybe access. Later she wanted the trust too.”
The room felt too small.
He told us Victoria believed controlling Lily’s trust would give her leverage over the company shares Claire had placed there.
“She said once she had co-trustee authority, she could force a sale.”
“To her father?”
Peter nodded.
Then he added one more thing.
“Victoria wasn’t planning to wait for a divorce.”
My mouth went dry.
“What was she planning?”
Peter looked at Ellis before answering.
“She wanted you declared temporarily incompetent.”
“And Lily?”
May you like
He swallowed.
“She wanted emergency guardianship.”
