Chapter 8 - The Lawyer Who Would Not Reassure HimMartin Hale asked for a private conversation with Daniel.
Claire allowed them to use the study.
Officer Price remained outside the door.
The moment it closed, Daniel lowered his voice.
“They are bluffing.”
Martin placed his briefcase on the desk.
“What exactly have you done?”
“Nothing illegal.”
“That is not an answer.”
Daniel paced toward the window.
“They found hotel reimbursements.”
“Personal expenses?”
“Some.”
“And fake vendors?”
“They are service entities.”
“Do they provide services?”
Daniel did not answer.
Martin’s expression hardened.
“Daniel, I cannot defend a version you invent while speaking.”
“They are using Claire’s family office to intimidate me.”
“Claire has a documented injury, two police officers in the dining room, and a forensic investigator carrying sealed records. This is not intimidation. This is escalation.”
Daniel reached for his phone.
Martin stopped him.
“Do not contact anyone involved.”
“I need to know what they have.”
“Then tell me what exists.”
Daniel looked toward the study door.
“Northstar paid for hotels.”
“Why?”
“You know why.”
“The affair?”
Daniel nodded.
Martin exhaled.
“And the other transfers?”
“Operating arrangements.”
“To whom?”
“Consultants.”
“Real consultants?”
Silence.
Martin closed his eyes.
In the dining room, Evelyn received real-time alerts from the company’s emergency access system.
Daniel’s credentials had been used remotely at 9:12 that morning.
Someone attempted to enter the vendor archive.
The system blocked the request.
Claire looked toward the study.
“He is calling someone.”
“Or someone is acting for him,” Evelyn said.
Daniel emerged ten minutes later.
Martin remained close beside him.
“My client will not answer questions.”
“That is his right,” Evelyn said.
Daniel looked relieved.
Then she added, “We can wait.”
She sat down again.
The officers remained.
Claire poured herself more coffee.
Daniel stared at all of them.
“You’re staying?”
“This is Claire’s residence,” Officer Grant said. “She requested protection while securing property and access.”
Daniel glanced around.
For the first time, he noticed the dining room no longer felt like his home.
It felt like a preserved scene.
His phone vibrated again.
Melissa Crane.
This time, Evelyn spoke.
“You may want to answer that one.”
Daniel looked at her sharply.
“Why?”
“Because Melissa gave us a statement at six fifteen this morning.”
The confidence left his face.
May you like
The woman he had hidden behind Northstar had begun talking before he even smelled breakfast.
👉 Melissa’s statement could prove the affair, but the reason she contacted investigators had nothing to do with jealousy.
