Chapter 11 - UNCLE SAMUEL
Samuel Vale was Marcus's father's younger brother.
A cardiologist.
Family physician.
Board member for thirty years.
Adriana's pregnancy.
Sofia's birth.
Marcus's therapy referral to Paul Renner.
That last part mattered now.
Brooks subpoenaed Samuel's records.
He had referred six wealthy families to Renner.
Three later entered guardianship disputes.
Two transferred voting control.
One parent died unexpectedly.
"How much of your family did you actually know?"
"Less every hour."
He claimed Renner manipulated him too.
Then investigators showed him the toxicology log.
Adriana's blood sample originally showed abnormal potassium.
Samuel approved a corrected report removing it.
"Why?"
"Lab contamination."
"Based on what?"
He had no answer.
Renner paid Samuel through a medical consulting shell.
Eight hundred thousand dollars over six years.
"Sit down."
The old command hit something primitive.
Marcus almost obeyed.
"No."
Samuel's face hardened.
"You think you're different from your father?"
"What does that mean?" Brooks asked.
Marcus's father, Victor Vale, had known about Renner's first custody scheme.
He buried it to protect the company from scandal.
He paid the settlement.
Sealed the record.
Renner kept practicing.
His family had created the silence Renner later weaponized.
Samuel said, "We protected Vale."
Elena's voice cut in.
"No. You protected yourselves."
The same look he had once used.
That realization hurt.
"Did you know she was investigating Orchid House?"
Silence.
"Did you help Renner cover her toxicology?"
"Adriana was going to destroy the company."
There it was.
Not denial.
Just motive.
"She didn't understand what exposure would do."
Marcus's voice became cold.
"Did you kill her?"
Then his lawyer interrupted.
Interview over.
As Samuel stood, Elena noticed something clipped inside his folder.
A photograph.
Sofia.
Taken at the pool.
Before the stroller incident.
She reached for it.
Too late.
On the back was handwriting.
P.R. wants the child event before the annual vote.
"What annual vote?"
"The Vale Holdings control renewal."
May you like
"When?"
"Tomorrow."
