Chapter 15 - THE BIRTHDAY MONEY
Vanessa’s parties were funded through a charitable events account.
On paper, the money supported youth programs. In reality, it funded luxury parties.
Celeste had discovered Edward using charity accounts to move money.
Before she died, she inserted encrypted evidence into an old digital archive connected to those accounts.
Dad knew the password.
AVERYKICKS199?
He laughed when I stared at him.
“You were eleven. You thought kicking pads was a personality.”
“It was.”
The recovered archive contained everything.
The archive held fake invoices, insurance manipulation, bribes and fight-circuit payments.
There was also a video.
Edward and Salvatore arguing after the factory explosion.
Edward: “Three workers were not supposed to be there.”
Salvatore: “Then why did your man disable the alarm?”
Edward: “Because Daniel was supposed to be alone.”
Dad had been the target.
The other deaths were collateral damage.
Federal prosecutors moved fast.
Edward was arrested.
Salvatore followed.
Miles Whitmore disappeared before agents reached him.
Vanessa remained free because prosecutors still needed to separate what she knew from what her father had done.
Then she called me.
“I want to talk.”
“No.”
“I know where Miles is.”
That changed things.
We met at a police-controlled hotel conference room.
Vanessa entered without makeup.
Without diamonds.
Without the armor of wealth.
For the first time, she looked thirty instead of untouchable.
“You ruined my life,” she said.
I almost laughed.
“You slapped me while I was kneeling in cake.”
“You embarrassed me.”
“You surveilled my dying mother.”
Her face tightened.
“My father taught us everyone has pressure points.”
“And you believed him.”
“Yes.”
“Where is Miles?”
She slid a key across the table.
“Warehouse on South Morgan.”
“Why help us?”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Because he took Tessa.”
I went still.
“Miles kidnapped her?”
Vanessa nodded.
“He thinks she’s why the fight circuit collapsed.”
“When?”
“This morning.”
I stood.
The detective told me to sit.
May you like
Then Vanessa whispered:
“He also knows your father is alive.”
