He Lost His Job, His Wife Left Him… Then He Found a Fortune He Forgot
Chapter 7
The next morning, Emily disappeared.
Daniel received the call while standing in his kitchen.
A man’s voice spoke.
“If you want your daughter back, bring the trust documents.”
Daniel’s blood ran cold.
“Where is she?”
“You’ll receive instructions.”
“Let me hear her.”
A pause.
Then Emily’s voice.
“Dad?”
Daniel nearly collapsed.
“Emily, are you hurt?”
“No.”
“I’m scared.”
Daniel clenched his fist.
“I’m coming.”
The call ended.
Sarah screamed.
Daniel grabbed his coat.
“Don’t.”
She caught his arm.
“You can’t go alone.”
“I won’t.”
Collins arrived ten minutes later.
Daniel showed him the message.
Collins looked at the phone.
“It’s Voss.”
“How do you know?”
“The voice.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You’ve heard him before?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I wasn’t certain.”
Daniel stared at him.
“People keep saying that.”
Collins lowered his head.
“I failed your father once.”
“How?”
“I trusted Voss.”
Daniel didn’t have time for anger.
They followed the instructions.
An abandoned rail yard.
A warehouse.
A locked door.
Daniel entered alone.
Emily sat in a chair.
A man stood behind her.
Richard Voss.
Older than Daniel remembered from photographs.
Calm.
Elegant.
He smiled.
“Daniel.”
“You wanted me.”
“I wanted the trust.”
“You’re not getting it.”
Voss laughed.
“You already gave me what I needed.”
Daniel frowned.
“What?”
“Your desperation.”
He gestured toward the table.
Documents lay there.
“Sign these.”
Daniel looked at them.
They transferred control of the entire inheritance.
“Never.”
Voss nodded.
“I expected that.”
He looked toward Emily.
Daniel’s face hardened.
“Touch her and you die.”
Voss smiled.
“There’s the man I was hoping to meet.”
Daniel stared.
“You destroyed my career.”
“Yes.”
“You threatened my wife.”
“Yes.”
“You took my daughter.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Voss leaned closer.
“Because your father hid something from me.”
“What?”
“The original ledger.”
Daniel went still.
“What ledger?”
“The one that proves where the money came from.”
Voss’s expression changed.
“Your father didn’t become rich through real estate.”
Daniel realized.
The properties were only the surface.
There had been another business.
One involving billions.
Money Voss had stolen.
Money Daniel’s father had hidden.
And now Voss wanted the ledger because it could expose everyone involved.
Daniel looked at Emily.
Then at Voss.
“You’re not getting it.”
Voss smiled.
“You don’t have it.”
Daniel paused.
“What?”
“You never found it.”
Voss looked toward him.
“Because your father didn’t leave it in the warehouse.”
Then the lights went out.
