Chapter 14 - The Person Still Watching
Daniel wanted Maya moved immediately.
Maya refused immediately.
"It's a secure residence."
"Someone entered your room."
"They didn't hurt anyone."
"They stole a drawing and left a threat."
"A message."
"It's a threat."
"Maybe."
Daniel stared at her from across the foundation conference table.
"You have a disturbing definition of maybe."
Maya pushed the photograph toward Marcus.
"Whoever did this wants us looking somewhere."
Marcus studied it.
"Or wants to scare you."
"Then why mention Richard wasn't alone?"
Claire entered.
"Because he wasn't."
Everyone turned.
She closed the door.
"I've been reviewing Elena's archived calendar."
Daniel frowned.
"We already did."
"You reviewed appointments."
Claire placed a printout on the table.
"I reviewed deleted entries."
One name appeared repeatedly during the final month of Elena's life.
Dr. Samuel Price.
Maya asked, "Who is he?"
Daniel answered.
"Our family attorney."
"Was."
Claire corrected.
"He retired after Elena died."
Daniel stared at her.
"Why was Elena meeting him privately?"
"Estate documents."
Margaret's voice came from the doorway.
She had arrived without anyone noticing.
"Elena was changing her will."
Daniel looked at his mother.
"You knew?"
"Not the details."
"Why didn't she tell me?"
Margaret looked weary.
"Daniel, how many times are you going to ask that question before accepting the answer?"
He flinched.
He hadn't been available.
Again.
Maya touched his arm.
He didn't pull away.
Marcus searched public records.
Samuel Price now lived in Connecticut.
Police visited.
His house was empty.
A neighbor hadn't seen him for four days.
Inside his home investigators found signs of hurried departure.
And a photograph of Elena.
Not sinister.
A framed photograph from a foundation gala.
On the back Elena had written:
Thank you for believing me when everyone else thought I worried too much.
Daniel sat alone after hearing.
Maya found him in the old pantry.
The foundation had reopened the building temporarily to catalog what could be restored.
He stood near the commercial oven.
"I keep finding people she trusted more than me."
Maya leaned against the counter.
"That's not what you're finding."
"Feels like it."
"You're finding people she trusted with different things."
Daniel shook his head.
"Same difference."
"No."
Maya stepped closer.
"She married you."
He looked at her.
"She had a child with you. Built a life with you."
"And didn't tell me she was afraid."
"Maybe because she knew you'd charge into battle before she had proof."
Daniel almost smiled.
"That does sound possible."
"Maybe she wanted to protect you."
"Everyone's favorite excuse."
Maya nodded.
"Still an excuse."
He looked around.
"She loved this place."
"I can see why."
Old paintings made by children still covered one wall.
Maya touched a faded yellow handprint.
"Did you decide about the job?" Daniel asked.
"Maybe."
"That sounds promising."
"It sounds like maybe."
Daniel laughed.
Then became serious.
"Maya."
"Hm?"
"If you take it, I want you to know I won't interfere."
"You're chairman of the foundation."
"I'll resign if necessary."
"Don't be dramatic."
"It's one of my strengths."
She smiled.
Then Daniel took a breath.
"And I won't confuse your relationship with Noah with your employment."
"Good."
"And I won't confuse your employment with—"
He stopped.
Maya looked up.
"With?"
He shook his head.
"Nothing."
"Coward."
Daniel blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
He stepped closer.
The old pantry suddenly felt very small.
"I've had a difficult week."
"So have I."
"My uncle was arrested."
"Someone broke into my bedroom."
"My CFO was shot."
"I was accused of kidnapping."
Daniel smiled.
"You always need the last word?"
"Usually."
They were standing inches apart.
Then Marcus called.
Timing, apparently, was his greatest talent.
Daniel answered.
"Please tell me no one's been shot."
"Not currently."
"Promising."
"We found Samuel Price."
"Where?"
"Airport."
"Leaving?"
"Trying to."
"Why?"
"He says he's afraid."
"Of whom?"
Marcus paused.
"Eric Simmons."
Maya frowned.
Daniel did too.
Eric had become the warning messenger.
Why would an elderly attorney fear him?
They met Samuel at a police interview room.
He was seventy-two.
Thin.
Nervous.
"I didn't steal anything," he insisted.
Daniel sat opposite.
"Nobody said you did."
"Richard did."
"When?"
Samuel looked toward the detective.
"Six months after Elena died."
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"He told me the documents I'd prepared for Elena could implicate me."
"What documents?"
Samuel swallowed.
"A trust."
"For Noah?"
"No."
"For whom?"
Samuel looked at Maya.
"For her."
Maya frowned.
"For me?"
"No."
Samuel pushed a copy across the table.
The beneficiary was a nonprofit organization that hadn't existed at the time.
The Open Table Project.
Maya felt cold.
That had been the name in her old notebook.
Her dream.
A restaurant where people who could pay would pay, people who couldn't would eat anyway, and workers rebuilding their lives could train for jobs.
"How did Elena know that name?"
Samuel looked surprised.
"I assumed you told her."
"I never met her."
Samuel frowned.
"She said she'd heard about you through one of her volunteers."
Maya remembered the letter.
Daniel whispered, "Elena planned to fund it."
Samuel nodded.
"Privately."
"How much?"
"Two million dollars."
Maya nearly stood.
"No."
Samuel looked confused.
"What?"
"She couldn't have."
"She did."
Maya shook her head.
"I didn't even know."
"That was intentional."
Samuel continued.
"Elena worried Daniel would turn it into a larger corporate initiative."
Daniel looked almost offended.
Then nodded.
"She was probably right."
Samuel said, "She wanted the project independent."
Maya stared at the trust.
Two million dollars had been designated for a dream she had abandoned when she lost her apartment.
"Why wasn't it created?"
Samuel's expression collapsed.
"Because after Elena died, Richard instructed me to freeze the transfer."
Daniel leaned forward.
"On whose authority?"
"He claimed there was litigation risk."
"That wasn't his decision."
"I know."
Samuel's eyes filled.
"I was a coward."
Maya looked at Daniel.
Another person carrying shame.
Daniel asked, "Why does Eric scare you?"
Samuel swallowed.
"He contacted me three weeks ago."
The timing mattered.
Three weeks ago.
Exactly when Maya lost her apartment.
"What did he say?" Maya asked.
"He said Elena's work needed to be finished."
"And?"
"He knew about you."
Maya's pulse accelerated.
"Did he have anything to do with Rossi's closing?"
Samuel looked confused.
"I don't know."
Police later investigated.
The answer came quickly.
Rossi's Kitchen hadn't merely closed from poor finances.
Its landlord had suddenly canceled the restaurant's lease after receiving a purchase offer.
The buyer?
A shell corporation.
One connected to Richard Vale.
Maya stared at the documents.
"He made me homeless?"
Marcus answered carefully.
"Possibly indirectly."
"Why?"
Daniel looked sick.
"To destabilize you."
"But why me?"
Samuel whispered the answer.
"Because Elena's trust only activated if Maya Carter personally agreed to lead the project."
Maya understood.
Richard had spent two years ignoring the dormant trust.
Then Eric started investigating.
Richard discovered Maya could activate two million dollars Elena had placed outside his control.
Money Richard apparently believed belonged to him.
So he targeted her.
Not because she met Noah.
Before.
Daniel stared at Maya.
"Your restaurant closing wasn't random."
Neither, perhaps, was the old man who had given her that final dollar.
And when police identified him from grocery-store surveillance, the mystery became even stranger.
His name was Arthur Bell.
A retired accountant.
Formerly employed by Hayes Development.
May you like
And he had disappeared the same day he gave Maya the dollar.
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