Single Dad Lost His VIP Seat to a Wealthy Passenger—5 Minutes Later, Everyone Was Evicted
Chapter 7
Daniel couldn’t speak.
He stared at the photograph.
James Whitmore.
His company’s financial controller for almost seven years.
James had been there when Carter Construction had barely been making enough money to survive.
He had helped Daniel organize payroll.
He had helped him negotiate with suppliers.
He had even attended Noah’s eighth birthday party.
Daniel trusted him.
Maybe too much.
“You’re telling me James did this?”
Evelyn nodded.
“We believe he was one of the central figures.”
Mike looked stunned.
“That’s impossible.”
Evelyn turned toward him.
“We thought the same thing.”
Daniel picked up the photograph.
“Where is he?”
“Missing.”
“When?”
“Two days ago.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“Because we weren’t sure how deeply your company was involved.”
Daniel slammed the photograph onto the desk.
“You’ve been investigating my company for weeks.”
“We’ve been investigating the network.”
“Same thing.”
Evelyn didn’t argue.
She opened another folder.
“We found transactions between James and several shell companies connected to Harrington Holdings.”
Daniel looked through the documents.
There were payments.
Transfers.
Property purchases.
Offshore accounts.
And something else.
A list.
Daniel recognized several names.
Business owners.
Contractors.
Bank officials.
Politicians.
People who had worked with Harrington.
Then he saw one name that made his heart stop.
His own.
“Why am I on this list?”
Evelyn looked at him.
“That’s what we’re trying to determine.”
Daniel continued reading.
Next to his name was a handwritten note.
Useful. Unaware. Keep close.
Daniel stared at those three words.
Useful.
Unaware.
Keep close.
He felt sick.
James had never been his friend.
Not really.
He had been using him.
Noah appeared in the doorway.
“Dad?”
Daniel quickly closed the folder.
“Hey.”
“Are we still going to lunch?”
Daniel looked at the clock.
He had completely forgotten.
“Yeah.”
Evelyn stepped aside.
Daniel walked over to Noah.
The boy looked at him.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
Daniel smiled.
“I’m just tired.”
Noah nodded.
But he didn’t believe him.
As Daniel and Noah left the office, Evelyn followed them outside.
“Daniel.”
He turned.
“What?”
“Don’t go home.”
Daniel frowned.
“Why?”
“We don’t know where James is.”
“He wouldn’t hurt me.”
“We don’t know that.”
Daniel looked toward his truck.
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying someone who has been hiding millions of dollars may become dangerous when he realizes the evidence is disappearing.”
Daniel looked at Noah.
Then at Evelyn.
“Where are we supposed to go?”
“We’ll arrange a secure location.”
Daniel hated the idea.
He didn’t want Noah frightened.
He didn’t want to live like a suspect.
But he knew Evelyn wasn’t exaggerating.
That night, Daniel and Noah stayed in a government-arranged hotel.
Noah sat on the bed watching television.
Daniel stood by the window.
He couldn’t stop thinking about James.
Seven years.
Seven years of handshakes.
Meetings.
Christmas parties.
Trust.
All of it might have been a lie.
Then Daniel’s phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?”
Nothing.
“Who is this?”
Silence.
Then a man’s voice.
“You should have taken Harrington’s money.”
Daniel froze.
The call ended.
He immediately called Evelyn.
She arrived twenty minutes later.
“Did you record it?”
“No.”
“Did you recognize the voice?”
Daniel shook his head.
“Not clearly.”
Evelyn looked serious.
“From now on, don’t answer unknown numbers.”
Daniel nodded.
Then his phone buzzed again.
This time it was a text.
A photograph appeared.
Daniel stared at it.
It was Noah.
The photograph had been taken outside the hotel.
Daniel’s blood ran cold.
Someone had been watching them.
Evelyn looked over his shoulder.
Her expression changed immediately.
“Pack your things.”
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere they can’t find you.”
Daniel grabbed Noah.
The boy looked confused.
“Dad?”
“We’re going.”
“Why?”
Daniel looked at Evelyn.
She answered quietly.
“Because this isn’t about money anymore.”
