Chapter 4 - Miami

The police did not arrest Linda and Vanessa immediately.

That surprised me.

Marcus said it should not.

“White-collar cases move slowly.”

“They nearly killed my wife.”

“I know.”

“They stole from my company.”

“I know.”

“They forged documents.”

“I know.”

“Then why are they still drinking champagne?”

“Because investigators want the full picture.”

I hated that answer.

Claire understood it better.

“Let them spend.”

I looked at her.

“What?”

“The more comfortable they are, the more they talk.”

So we waited.

For thirty-six hours.

Then Detective Sonia Ramirez called.

“We obtained bank records.”

I sat beside Claire.

“How bad?”

“Worse than the thirty-eight.”

“How much?”

“Current confirmed diversion is two hundred eighty-four thousand over three years.”

Claire closed her eyes.

Ramirez continued.

“Some funds came from your company. Some from personal accounts. Some from an insurance reimbursement account.”

“What insurance reimbursement?”

“A medical claim payment issued after your father’s final hospitalization.”

I stopped breathing.

“My father died four years ago.”

“Yes.”

“Who took it?”

“Linda.”

I looked at the wall.

My father, George Reynolds, had spent his last month fighting pancreatic cancer.

After his death, I had been too numb to care about paperwork.

My mother told me she handled everything.

Apparently she had.

Ramirez said, “There is also an account in Florida.”

“Whose?”

“Joint account. Linda Reynolds and Vanessa Reynolds.”

“Balance?”

“Seventy-two thousand.”

“From me?”

“Mostly.”

Claire whispered, “Can you freeze it?”

Ramirez said, “Your attorney is seeking civil restraint. We are coordinating.”

I asked, “Where are they now?”

“We believe still at the Fontaine Azure in Miami Beach.”

My mother’s latest post confirmed it.

Vanessa posed by the ocean.

Caption: Peace looks good on me.

I stared at the screen.

Claire said, “Do not throw the phone.”

“I wasn’t going to.”

“You were thinking about it.”

“I was thinking about the wall.”

“That is still expensive.”

I smiled despite myself.

It was the first time either of us had laughed since I came home.

That afternoon, Linda called.

I looked at the screen.

Claire said, “Answer.”

Marcus, on speaker from his office, said, “Keep it normal.”

I answered.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Sweetheart.”

Her voice was bright.

“How was Singapore?”

“Productive.”

“Wonderful. I knew it would be.”

“You still with Aunt Marcy?”

A pause.

Tiny.

“Yes. She’s having a difficult week.”

Claire raised an eyebrow.

I continued.

“How’s Vanessa?”

“Better.”

“Good.”

Linda sighed.

“I’ve been worried about Claire.”

I looked at my wife.

“Why?”

“She sounded emotional before I left.”

“How emotional?”

“You know how women get after babies.”

Claire’s jaw tightened.

I said, “No. Explain.”

Linda laughed.

“Sensitive. Confused. She was making strange accusations.”

“About what?”

“Money.”

I leaned back.

“What money?”

Another pause.

“The household account.”

“What about it?”

“She seemed obsessed with controlling it.”

Claire stared at me.

I kept my voice calm.

“Did you move anything?”

“Only what you asked.”

My fingers tightened.

“What did I ask?”

“You told me to cut unnecessary expenses.”

“I did?”

“Before Singapore.”

“Right.”

She continued smoothly.

“I was trying to protect you. Honestly, Daniel, Claire does not understand how much pressure you’re under.”

I looked at Claire.

“Maybe.”

Linda lowered her voice.

“I hate saying this, but you should consider whether she’s safe with the baby alone.”

There it was.

The story.

Fully formed.

I asked, “Why wouldn’t she be?”

“She forgot to buy food.”

Claire almost stood.

Marcus motioned for silence through the video screen.

Linda continued.

“The apartment became very cold because she ignored utility notices.”

I closed my eyes.

“And the nurse?”

“She dismissed her.”

Claire mouthed, Liar.

I said, “That’s concerning.”

Linda relaxed.

“I knew you’d understand.”

“When are you coming home?”

“Maybe Sunday.”

“Take your time.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

She sighed.

“You are such a good son.”

The words made me sick.

“Love you.”

“Love you too.”

I ended the call.

Claire stared at me.

“How did you do that?”

“Years of negotiating with dishonest executives.”

Marcus said, “She just gave us several false statements.”

“Useful?”

“Very.”

Ramirez called twenty minutes later.

“We have another development.”

I put her on speaker.

“What?”

“Vanessa used one of the diverted cards this morning.”

“For what?”

“Jewelry.”

“How much?”

“Eighteen thousand.”

Claire laughed in disbelief.

Ramirez continued.

“And Linda met with someone from Atlantic Crown Private Bank.”

Marcus went still.

“In Miami?”

“Yes.”

“Today?”

“Yes.”

I asked, “Why?”

“We don’t know yet.”

Marcus said, “She is still trying to move the trust.”

Claire looked at me.

“Even now.”

I felt something colder than anger.

“She thinks she still has time.”

That evening, a process server delivered civil freeze notices to the hotel.

We did not see it happen live.

But Vanessa told the internet.

She posted a furious story.

SOME PEOPLE THINK THEY CAN CONTROL WOMEN WITH MONEY.

Then another.

FAMILY BETRAYAL IS REAL.

Then Linda called me again.

This time, I did not answer.

She called six times.

Then Vanessa.

Then Linda again.

Then a message.

DANIEL CALL ME NOW.

Another.

THERE HAS BEEN A TERRIBLE BANK ERROR.

Another.

YOUR LAWYER IS HARASSING US.

Claire looked at the screen.

“Now she remembers you.”

I handed her the phone.

“You want to read the best one?”

She took it.

Linda had written:

CLAIRE IS TURNING YOU AGAINST YOUR FAMILY.

Claire looked at me.

“Am I?”

“No.”

“She’ll say I am.”

“I know.”

“What if your relatives believe her?”

“They probably will.”

Claire looked surprised.

I continued.

“My mother has been rehearsing her version longer than we’ve been telling ours.”

“That doesn’t bother you?”

“It does.”

“Then why are you calm?”

“Because the cameras do not have a mother.”

Claire almost smiled.

My phone rang again.

Detective Ramirez.

“Mr. Reynolds, do you know a man named Victor Shaw?”

“No.”

Claire shook her head.

Ramirez continued.

“He is a private investigator in Florida.”

Marcus joined the call.

“What is the connection?”

“Linda paid him twelve thousand dollars.”

“For what?”

“We don’t know.”

Claire looked worried.

Ramirez said, “But he searched Daniel’s travel records, Claire’s medical information, and the birth registration.”

I felt my stomach drop.

“Birth registration?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“We are trying to determine that.”

Marcus asked, “When was he hired?”

“Two months ago.”

Before Singapore.

Before the birth.

Before the heat was cut.

Claire whispered, “This was planned.”

Ramirez said, “It appears more organized than a spontaneous theft.”

I stood.

“What did Shaw do with the information?”

“We have subpoenaed records.”

“Can you find him?”

“We already did.”

“Where?”

“Miami.”

I stared at the phone.

“At the hotel?”

“No.”

Ramirez paused.

“He was seen entering Atlantic Crown Private Bank thirty minutes before Linda.”

Marcus said, “That is not coincidence.”

No one disagreed.

The next morning, Linda finally checked out of the Fontaine Azure.

Not voluntarily.

The hotel requested a new card after the original was frozen.

She tried three.

All declined.

Vanessa posted nothing.

At noon, they appeared at Miami International Airport.

Their tickets were first class.

The purchase was rejected.

They rebooked economy.

For the first time in my life, I felt no satisfaction in my mother’s humiliation.

Only dread.

Because Victor Shaw had disappeared.

And the bank appointment had happened before the freeze.

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Whatever Linda wanted in Miami, she had not gone there merely to spend our money.

She had gone there to finish something.