Chapter 7 - DANIEL
Daniel arrived at the mansion before Ethan could call him.
That made everything worse.
He walked into the foyer demanding to know why police were there.
Ethan showed him the footage.
Daniel’s face changed.
“I can explain.”
“Everybody keeps saying that.”
Daniel claimed Richard had asked him to disable one hallway camera because Celeste was planning a private anniversary surprise.
“You believed him?”
“He’s been family for twenty years.”
“So was Amelia.”
Daniel flinched.
Mara asked whether Daniel knew about Northstar.
“Of course.”
“Did Richard ask you to support the final package Monday?”
“Yes.”
“Did you read it?”
Daniel looked embarrassed.
“No.”
Ethan laughed bitterly.
Police checked Daniel’s phone.
He volunteered it.
Messages showed Richard asking for the camera favor.
Nothing else obvious.
Then one message from Celeste appeared.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US GET SOME PRIVACY TODAY.
Daniel stared.
“I thought she meant the surprise.”
Ethan wanted to believe him.
He also wanted to stop confusing wanting with proof.
Mara searched the Northstar board packet.
Daniel’s voting proxy had already been submitted.
He had signed it electronically two days earlier.
The proxy gave Richard authority to cast Daniel’s shares if Daniel was “unavailable.”
Daniel went white.
“I never approved that clause.”
Another altered page.
Richard was collecting control wherever nobody read carefully.
Then state police received a call from the private driver scheduled for Celeste’s airport run.
He had been told Ethan personally approved Sophie’s trip.
The driver still had the text.
It came from Ethan’s number.
Except Ethan had not sent it.
The carrier records showed a cloned messaging service tied to Hale Biomedical’s executive communications account.
Only three people had administrator access.
Ethan.
Richard.
And Daniel.
Daniel stared at the report.
May you like
Then whispered:
“My login disappeared last week.”
