Chapter 7 - Emma’s Recording
Emma’s phone had been a birthday gift from my sister.
My daughter had pressed record when Claire cornered her in the upstairs hallway before the gala.
“Why were you in Michael’s office?”
“I was looking for my crayons.”
“You’re lying.”
“I saw the papers.”
A pause.
“What papers?”
“The ones that say Daddy isn’t boss anymore.”
Claire’s tone changed.
“You listen to me. You are going downstairs. You are going to smile. And you are not going to say one word about what you saw.”
“I’m telling Dad.”
Another pause.
Then Claire whispered, “If you ruin tonight, your father loses everything.”
Emma sniffed.
“I don’t believe you.”
Claire answered, “You will.”
The recording ended with Emma saying, “Don’t touch me.”
I looked through the hospital glass at Claire.
She was no longer smiling.
Dana Ruiz heard the recording and immediately suspended the transfer.
Police finally interviewed Emma.
I stayed outside.
When Detective Paul Mercer emerged, he looked at Claire and said, “Mrs. Sterling, we need you to come with us for questioning.”
Claire laughed.
“Based on a child’s recording?”
“Based on several things.”
Richard Vale arrived before police could leave.
He was sweating.
“Michael, we need to talk.”
“Not interested.”
“You should be.”
He looked at Claire.
For the first time, she looked scared of him.
Richard lowered his voice.
“Victor doesn’t know the whole plan.”
Claire snapped, “Shut up.”
Richard ignored her.
“The sale isn’t the real problem.”
Lena stepped closer.
“What is?”
Richard looked at me.
“Your company’s pension reserve.”
I frowned.
Sterling Medical Systems managed a protected retirement pool for fourteen thousand employees.
More than six hundred million dollars.
Richard whispered, “It’s short.”
“How short?”
He swallowed.
“One hundred and eighty-seven million.”
The hallway seemed to tilt.
I stared at Claire.
She didn’t deny it.
May you like
Richard continued.
“The sale was supposed to bury the hole.”
