Chapter 12 - THE MAN WHO SIGNED THE LIE
Daniel drove back to Reed’s house with Detective Alvarez beside him.
Reed was sitting at the kitchen table under police guard.
Daniel placed the laptop in front of him.
Sarah’s final sentence filled the screen.
Peter Reed is not protecting you.
Reed closed his eyes.
Alvarez leaned forward.
“Now would be a good time to tell the truth.”
Reed’s shoulders collapsed.
“Grant paid me.”
Daniel stared.
“For what?”
“To delay Sarah’s audit.”
“To move documents.”
“To keep the trust quiet.”
“And her crash?”
Reed looked sick.
“I didn’t kill her.”
“You signed the case closure.”
“I was told the brake issue was a clerical mistake.”
“By Grant?”
“Yes.”
Daniel wanted to hit him.
Instead, he gripped the chair.
“You helped bury my wife.”
Reed’s eyes filled with shame.
“Yes.”
Alvarez asked about the missing packet intended for Lily’s tenth birthday.
Reed nodded toward his office safe.
“I copied part of it before Grant took the original.”
Inside the safe was one photocopied page.
A map of the old Holloway family lake property.
A red X marked a small maintenance cabin.
Daniel recognized the place.
Sarah used to take Lily there to feed ducks.
His phone buzzed.
A photo appeared from Claire’s number.
Claire sat tied to a chair inside a wooden room.
Grant stood behind her.
Under the photograph was a message.
ONE HOUR.
BRING LILY TO THE LAKE.
Daniel’s face went hard.
Alvarez reached for the phone.
“We do this our way.”
Daniel nodded.
Then another photo arrived.
This one showed Mark’s backyard.
Taken from inside Daniel’s house.
Someone was watching them right now.
May you like
Daniel spun toward the window.
Upstairs, Lily screamed.
