Chapter 3 - The Billionaire’s FatherDaniel Cross had spent his entire adult life refusing to become Charles Cross.
“Mr. Cross, you need to stay outside.”
“My wife is in there.”
A nurse planted herself between him and the doors.
“And the best thing you can do for her right now is let the medical team work.”
Daniel Cross was accustomed to doors opening when he approached them.
Boardrooms.
Private clubs.
Government offices.
Airports.
Banks.
Tonight, none of his money mattered.
His wife was seven months pregnant, injured, frightened, and somewhere beyond those doors.
He could do nothing.
Grant Holloway arrived moments later.
Daniel didn’t look at him.
“Where’s Vanessa?”
“Security conference room. Two hospital officers are with her.”
“Police?”
“On their way.”
Daniel finally turned.
“And the footage?”
Grant hesitated.
That hesitation frightened Daniel almost as much as Dr. Brooks’s expression had.
“What?”
“There’s a problem.”
“What problem?”
“The camera recorded.”
“Then there isn’t a problem.”
“Daniel.”
Grant rarely used his first name while working.
That got his attention.
Grant lowered his voice.
“The recording has a gap.”
Daniel stared at him.
“What kind of gap?”
“Eleven minutes.”
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“Which eleven minutes?”
“The attack.”
For several seconds, Daniel said nothing.
The hospital corridor suddenly felt too quiet.
“You just told me the system recorded continuously.”
“It should have.”
“Should have?”
Grant exhaled.
“The footage shows Evelyn entering the suite at 9:41. Vanessa enters at 9:48. At 9:51 the feed freezes.”
“And?”
“It resumes at 10:02.”
Daniel felt something cold move through him.
“At 10:02, we walk through the door.”
“Yes.”
“So the exact eleven minutes when my wife is assaulted happen to disappear?”
“Yes.”
“That isn’t a malfunction.”
“I don’t think so.”
Daniel looked toward the maternity doors.
Vanessa had known about the camera only after Grant mentioned it.
He had seen genuine terror on her face.
If she hadn’t known it existed, she couldn’t have planned to erase it.
Which meant someone else might have.
“Who can access the hospital surveillance?”
“Hospital security administrators. Certain IT supervisors. Outside security contractors.”
“And our foundation?”
Grant paused.
“Technically, our event security liaison had temporary access tonight.”
“Who?”
“Marcus Bell.”
Daniel knew the name.
Marcus had coordinated security for Cross Foundation events for almost four years.
Quiet.
Efficient.
Invisible.
“Find him.”
“I already called.”
“And?”
“Phone off.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“Find him anyway.”
The maternity doors opened.
Dr. Brooks emerged.
Daniel was in front of her immediately.
“Evelyn?”
“Stable.”
“The baby?”
She nodded.
“For now, his heartbeat is strong.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
The breath that left him sounded almost like a sob.
“But.”
His eyes opened again.
Doctors always had a “but.”
Dr. Brooks continued carefully.
“She’s having uterine irritability. We’re monitoring for placental abruption and premature labor. The next several hours matter.”
“Can I see her?”
“In a few minutes.”
“Is the baby going to survive?”
Dr. Brooks held his gaze.
“I believe they both have an excellent chance, but I’m not giving you promises medicine can’t guarantee.”
Daniel nodded.
He respected her for that.
His phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
He ignored it.
Then another message appeared.
A photograph.
Daniel opened it.
His blood went cold.
The image showed Evelyn entering the hospital suite earlier that evening.
Photographed from somewhere above.
Underneath were six words.
THE CAMERA ISN’T YOUR BIGGEST PROBLEM.
Daniel showed Grant.
Grant’s entire posture changed.
Security officer replaced family friend instantly.
“Don’t touch anything else.”
Daniel handed him the phone.
“Trace it.”
“I’ll try.”
Another message arrived.
ASK YOUR WIFE WHAT SHE FOUND.
Daniel looked toward the maternity ward.
“What did Evelyn find?”
Grant didn’t answer.
They both realized the same thing.
The attack might not have been about jealousy.
Vanessa could have attacked Evelyn for another reason.
Or someone could have manipulated Vanessa into doing it.
“Daniel?”
Vanessa’s voice came from behind them.
Two hospital security officers escorted her down the corridor.
Her makeup was streaked.
Her wrists weren’t restrained.
Yet.
“I need to talk to you.”
Daniel’s eyes went flat.
“You need a lawyer.”
“She lied to you.”
Grant moved forward.
Vanessa ignored him.
“She’s been going through your financial records.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
Vanessa saw she had his attention.
“Ask her.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“How would you know?”
Vanessa swallowed.
“Because she confronted me last week.”
“About what?”
“A payment.”
Daniel felt his pulse accelerate.
“What payment?”
Vanessa looked at Grant.
“No. Not in front of him.”
Daniel almost laughed.
“You kicked my pregnant wife to the floor and now you want privacy?”
“I didn’t kick her because of you.”
The corridor became silent.
Daniel stared at her.
Vanessa whispered,
“I kicked her because she threatened to expose what we did.”
“We?”
Before she could continue, a police detective entered the hall.
“Vanessa Sinclair?”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
Grant said quietly, “You were saying?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“Not anymore.”
The detective stepped forward.
“Ms. Sinclair, Detective Rachel Morgan, NYPD. I need to speak with you regarding an incident that occurred tonight.”
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
“You think I’m the villain.”
“You assaulted my wife.”
“You have no idea what your wife uncovered.”
Daniel’s expression didn’t change.
“Then tell me.”
Vanessa leaned closer.
“Cross Meridian has been paying millions of dollars to a company that doesn’t exist.”
Daniel stopped moving.
That was impossible.
His company’s internal auditing system was one of the most advanced in the industry.
Vanessa continued.
“Evelyn found it.”
“How?”
“She was looking into the foundation.”
Daniel’s mind raced.
Evelyn sat on the Cross Foundation health-access committee.
She had access to charitable accounts.
Not Cross Meridian corporate accounts.
Unless money was moving through both.
“Name the company.”
Vanessa looked terrified now.
Not of Daniel.
Of someone else.
“Ashbury Strategic.”
Grant immediately typed the name into his phone.
Daniel had never heard it.
“Who told you about it?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“Vanessa.”
“I can’t.”
Daniel moved closer.
“You were willing to assault my wife over it.”
“I was supposed to scare her.”
Daniel’s blood turned to ice.
“What did you just say?”
Vanessa realized the mistake.
The detective noticed too.
“Ms. Sinclair,” Morgan said, “I strongly suggest you stop speaking until we’re somewhere formal.”
Daniel ignored her.
“Who told you to scare Evelyn?”
Vanessa’s lips trembled.
Nobody moved.
Then her face changed.
Pure fear.
She was staring past Daniel.
Toward the elevator.
Daniel turned.
A man stood inside as the doors began closing.
Gray suit.
Silver hair.
Daniel knew him.
“Dad?”
Charles Cross looked at his son.
Then at Vanessa.
The elevator doors closed.
Vanessa began shaking.
Daniel stared at the elevator.
His father was supposed to be in London.
“What the hell is he doing here?”
Grant’s phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
Then looked at Daniel.
“We found Marcus Bell.”
“Where?”
“Parking garage level four.”
Daniel knew from Grant’s expression that something was wrong.
“Alive?”
Grant shook his head.
“Police think he jumped.”
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Daniel’s mind went completely still.
A missing video.
A dead security coordinator.
Millions flowing into a phantom company.
His father unexpectedly inside the hospital.
And Evelyn caught in the middle.
The maternity doors opened again.
A nurse approached Daniel.
“Your wife is asking for you.”
Daniel followed her into the room.
Evelyn lay surrounded by monitors.
She looked small beneath the white blankets.
Daniel sat beside her and took her hand.
She managed a tired smile.
“How’s our boy?”
“Strong.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Good.”
Daniel kissed her fingers.
Then Evelyn whispered something.
“I need to tell you why Vanessa attacked me.”
Daniel leaned forward.
She looked toward the closed door.
“Three weeks ago, I found payments leaving the foundation.”
Daniel’s heart began pounding.
“To Ashbury Strategic?”
Evelyn stared at him.
“How do you know that name?”
“Vanessa told me.”
Evelyn looked frightened.
“She knows?”
“Apparently.”
Evelyn gripped his hand.
“Daniel, Ashbury Strategic is stealing from the children’s hospitals.”
His expression changed.
“How much?”
“I stopped counting at twenty-eight million.”
Daniel’s stomach dropped.
Evelyn continued.
“And Daniel…”
“What?”
“One person authorized every transfer.”
He waited.
May you like
Evelyn’s eyes filled with pain.
“Your father.”
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