Chapter 6 - THE LAWYER WHO CAME TOO FAST
Leonard Shaw arrived at the hospital before the police called him.
That was the first mistake he made.
I was in Noah’s room when Grace texted me.
LEONARD IS HERE.
I stepped into the hallway and found him walking toward me in a charcoal suit, silver hair perfect, leather briefcase in one hand.
“Daniel,” he said. “I heard there was an incident.”
“From who?”
He stopped.
“Your mother.”
“She told you Noah fell?”
“She said there was confusion.”
I held his eyes. “Did she also tell you I found the real DNA report?”
Something moved behind his expression.
Small.
Fast.
But I saw it.
“Daniel, this is not the place.”
“You’re right. The police station might be better.”
He lowered his voice. “Do not make accusations you cannot prove.”
I pulled out my phone and showed him one frame from the garage video.
Leonard stared at the image of himself beside Emma’s SUV.
Then he smiled.
“That proves I was in a garage.”
“The night before my wife died.”
“I represented your family. I was often at the estate.”
“Under a maintenance jacket?”
His smile disappeared.
Behind us, Noah started crying.
Leonard glanced toward the room.
“You are emotional,” he said. “You’ve suffered a lot.”
“Don’t talk about my son.”
“I’m talking about you. If you keep behaving violently, your mother could petition for emergency control of the trust.”
I stared at him.
There it was.
Not concern.
A warning.
“You came here to threaten me with guardianship?”
“I came to prevent a family tragedy from becoming a corporate one.”
He turned to leave.
I said, “Graybridge.”
Leonard stopped.
For the first time, he looked genuinely afraid.
“Where did you hear that name?”
I didn’t answer.
He walked away faster than he had arrived.
Two minutes later, my phone buzzed.
May you like
An unknown number had sent one sentence.
STOP DIGGING OR THE NEXT FALL WILL NOT BE AN ACCIDENT.
