Chapter 11 - ETHAN'S TRAP
Vanessa disappeared for thirty-six hours.
Her apartment was empty.
Her car was abandoned inside a downtown parking structure.
Her phone stopped transmitting.
Police circulated her information.
Daniel remained missing.
Nathan hired additional security for the house.
Claire hated needing it.
Ethan hated it more.
On Thursday afternoon, Ethan received a message from an unknown number.
YOU RUINED EVERYTHING.
He stared at the screen.
A second message arrived.
YOUR FATHER WILL BLAME YOU WHEN HE LOSES THE COMPANY.
Ethan did not reply.
He photographed the messages.
Then another appeared.
YOU THINK YOU’RE SMART BECAUSE OF A PIN?
Ethan’s pulse jumped.
Only a small number of people knew about the pin.
Vanessa.
Melissa.
His parents.
Investigators.
The sender continued.
MEET ME AND I’LL TELL YOU WHAT DANIEL REALLY WANTS.
Ethan forwarded everything to Nathan.
Nathan immediately called.
“Do not respond.”
“I know.”
“I mean it.”
“I know.”
Nathan’s voice softened.
“Are you scared?”
Ethan wanted to say no.
Instead he answered truthfully.
“Yes.”
“So am I.”
That surprised him.
Nathan continued.
“But being scared doesn’t mean we make stupid decisions.”
Ethan almost smiled.
“Coming from you?”
Nathan was silent.
Then he laughed once.
“Fair.”
Police wanted Ethan to respond under supervision.
The message could lead them to Vanessa.
Nathan objected initially.
Claire objected harder.
Ethan convinced them.
“If she thinks I’m scared enough, she’ll keep talking.”
Using an investigator’s instructions, Ethan wrote:
PROVE YOU KNOW SOMETHING.
The response arrived immediately.
DANIEL DOESN’T WANT THE TRUST.
Ethan typed:
THEN WHAT DOES HE WANT?
Five minutes passed.
Nathan paced behind the investigators.
Then the answer appeared.
HE WANTS YOUR FATHER TO LOSE CONTROL OF CALDWELL GROUP.
Another message followed.
THE BABY WAS ONLY ONE WAY.
Ethan looked at Nathan.
Nathan went still.
The trust controlled more than cash.
It held voting shares.
If a new beneficiary received a quarter interest, Nathan’s control could be diluted.
Combined with shares Daniel already controlled, Daniel could potentially challenge Nathan’s leadership.
The fake baby was part financial theft.
Part corporate coup.
Ethan typed:
WHERE ARE YOU?
The sender responded:
COME ALONE.
A location followed.
An abandoned train station outside the city.
Police prepared.
Ethan would not actually go.
Instead, an undercover officer carrying Ethan’s phone would approach.
At 7:30 p.m., they arrived near the station.
Nathan watched from an unmarked vehicle.
Claire remained at home.
Ethan sat beside his father.
The undercover officer entered the station.
Nobody appeared.
Five minutes.
Ten minutes.
Twenty.
Then Ethan’s phone rang.
Vanessa.
He answered under police instruction.
“Hello?”
Vanessa laughed.
“You brought them.”
Ethan looked at the investigators.
“How do you know?”
“You’re not as smart as you think.”
“You told me to come.”
“I wanted to see what your father would do.”
Nathan clenched his jaw.
Vanessa continued.
“Tell Nathan he should check his company before worrying about me.”
The call ended.
Nathan immediately contacted corporate security.
The main accounting server had just been attacked remotely.
Files were being deleted.
Lucas was in custody.
Vanessa was watching the police.
Only one person remained.
May you like
Daniel.
The meeting had been a diversion.
