The Billionaire Left the Same $10 Tip Every Morning… Until She Finally Asked Why
Chapter 7
Daniel began investigating.
Not publicly.
Not through his company.
He hired a retired investigator named Martin Cole.
Martin discovered something strange.
Daniel’s father had owned a small delivery company before he died.
The company had been transferred to another owner shortly before his death.
The paperwork was suspicious.
“Who bought it?”
Martin gave him a name.
Richard Voss.
Daniel knew the name.
Voss had been one of his earliest investors.
A man who had helped Mercer Holdings expand.
A man Daniel trusted.
Daniel stared at the documents.
“That can’t be right.”
Martin nodded.
“There are more records.”
“What records?”
“Payments.”
“To whom?”
Martin slid another folder across the table.
Daniel opened it.
His father’s company had been used to move money through shell businesses.
Someone had been stealing from it.
And his father had discovered the fraud.
Two days later, he was dead.
Daniel closed his eyes.
“No.”
Martin said nothing.
“My father died of a heart attack.”
“That’s what the report says.”
“But?”
“The medical report was amended.”
Daniel looked up.
“By whom?”
Martin pointed to a signature.
A doctor who had been paid by a company connected to Voss.
Daniel felt cold.
He suddenly understood the warning.
Someone didn’t want him looking into the past.
And someone had been watching the café.
He thought of Clara.
Her bus ride home.
Her sister.
Her small apartment.
He called her.
“Where are you?”
“At home.”
“Don’t go anywhere tonight.”
“What happened?”
“I’ll explain.”
“Daniel, you’re scaring me.”
“I know.”
He drove to her apartment.
Clara opened the door.
“What is going on?”
Daniel stepped inside.
“I think someone is watching me.”
She stared.
“Why?”
“Because of my father.”
He showed her the documents.
Clara read them.
“This happened twenty years ago?”
“Yes.”
“Then why now?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Because I started restoring the old properties.”
“And someone is afraid you’ll find something.”
“Yes.”
Clara swallowed.
“Are you in danger?”
“I don’t know.”
She looked at him.
“Then don’t face it alone.”
Daniel’s expression softened.
“I was hoping you wouldn’t say that.”
“Why?”
“Because I was hoping you’d stay out of it.”
Clara shook her head.
“You’ve spent years leaving ten dollars every morning because of your father.”
She took his hand.
“I’m not going to let you carry this alone.”
