Chapter 5 - THE WILLElliot did not answer Nolan.
He put his phone in his pocket.
“These are private client matters.”
“My father may be dead.”
“That does not automatically give you access to his legal files.”
Nolan stared.
“I’m his son.”
“Yes.”
“His only child.”
“Yes.”
“And if he’s dead, I’m the executor.”
Elliot’s expression remained neutral.
“That depends.”
Nolan froze.
Claire saw it.
“Depends on what?”
“Whether the documents currently in force remain the documents your father intended to keep in force.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It means I am not discussing estate matters while Raymond’s status is unknown.”
Nolan stepped closer.
“You said revised papers.”
Elliot looked at Claire.
She understood.
He had not said those words aloud.
Raymond’s text had.
Nolan must have heard Claire mention them.
“Did Dad change his will?”
“No answer.”
“Elliot.”
“No answer.”
Nolan’s composure cracked.
“My father is missing in the Pacific and you’re hiding behind attorney-client privilege?”
“Yes.”
The bluntness startled him.
Claire almost admired Elliot.
Nolan turned toward her.
“What did he tell you?”
“Who?”
“My father.”
“That he needed to speak to you tonight.”
“About?”
“He didn’t say.”
Nolan looked between them.
“You both think I did something.”
Claire answered first.
“I think your story keeps changing.”
“What story?”
“The gift.”
He stared.
“You told me it was a view.”
“I simplified.”
“You told the investigator it was a watch.”
“I was going to give him a watch while showing him the view.”
“Where is the watch?”
Nolan stopped.
Claire waited.
“In my cabin.”
“Good.”
She stepped aside.
“Show us.”
His eyes narrowed.
“This is insane.”
“Then prove me wrong.”
“You are not law enforcement.”
“No.”
“Then stop acting like it.”
Nolan left.
Fast.
Too fast.
Elliot exhaled.
“You enjoy poking bears.”
“I enjoy knowing whether bears are lying.”
“He’s dangerous if you’re right.”
Claire looked at him.
“Then tell me what Raymond found.”
Elliot hesitated.
The legal rules mattered.
So did survival.
He chose carefully.
“Raymond was concerned that Nolan had made unauthorized financial commitments.”
“How large?”
“Large enough.”
“Debts?”
“Among other things.”
“Was Raymond removing him from the company?”
“Temporarily.”
“Did Nolan know?”
“He knew a meeting was coming.”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
Claire’s stomach tightened.
“After the party.”
“Yes.”
“Did Raymond plan to change the will?”
Elliot paused.
“Raymond had prepared revisions.”
“Disinheriting Nolan?”
“No.”
That surprised her.
“What then?”
“Restricting control.”
“Meaning?”
“Assets would remain available for Nolan’s benefit, but he would lose direct authority over significant trusts and voting shares.”
Claire understood.
Nolan would still be wealthy.
Just not powerful.
“Why?”
“I’ve already said more than I should.”
Claire stepped closer.
“Elliot, if Nolan believed he was about to lose control of everything—”
“I know.”
The door opened.
A Coast Guard officer entered.
“Mr. Crane?”
“Yes?”
“We need to speak to you about a message from Raymond Halstead.”
Elliot exchanged a glance with Claire.
Nolan had apparently already told someone about it.
Or the investigators had collected phone information.
The officer continued.
“We’ve been informed Mr. Halstead sent you something unusual shortly before his disappearance.”
Elliot nodded.
“I have it.”
“May we see it?”
“Yes.”
He showed the message.
The officer read.
His expression sharpened.
“When did you receive this?”
“4:27.”
“Did you respond?”
“Yes.”
“What did you say?”
“‘We’ll talk after dinner.’”
“Did Mr. Halstead indicate he was in immediate danger?”
“No.”
“Do you know what he meant by appearances?”
“No.”
That was technically true.
The officer looked at Claire.
“And you?”
“Raymond told me he needed to speak to Nolan.”
“When?”
“About an hour before he disappeared.”
“Anything else?”
“No.”
The officer wrote notes.
Then asked Elliot:
“What revised papers?”
Elliot exhaled.
“Estate and corporate documents.”
“Connected to Nolan?”
“Yes.”
“Did Nolan know?”
“Possibly.”
Before the officer could continue, another crew member entered.
“Sir.”
The Coast Guard officer turned.
“What?”
“We checked Mr. Nolan Halstead’s cabin.”
Nolan appeared behind him.
His face was furious.
“This is outrageous.”
The crew member ignored him.
“No watch matching the description was found.”
Claire stared.
Nolan answered immediately.
“I must have left it somewhere else.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
Claire folded her arms.
The Coast Guard officer looked at Nolan.
“You said the gift was a watch.”
“It was.”
“What brand?”
A pause.
“Patek Philippe.”
“What model?”
Another pause.
“Nautilus.”
Claire knew enough about luxury watches to recognize how rehearsed that sounded.
The officer asked:
“Purchased where?”
“My assistant handled it.”
“Name?”
“Jordan Blake.”
“We’ll contact him.”
Nolan’s face tightened.
Then Claire remembered something.
At the birthday lunch, Nolan’s assistant had called her to ask which champagne Raymond preferred.
If the assistant had also purchased a six-figure watch, he would know.
The officer turned toward Nolan.
“One more thing.”
“What?”
“Did you place a blindfold on your father?”
Silence.
Then:
“Yes.”
Claire felt the room shift.
“Why?”
“For the surprise.”
“What happened to the blindfold?”
“I don’t know.”
“It was found near the bow.”
Nolan looked down.
“Then it must have blown away.”
“After you removed it?”
“Yes.”
Claire watched him.
He had just committed himself to a sequence.
Blindfold removed.
Gift revealed.
Then Nolan left.
But if Raymond had disappeared while wearing it—
the story would collapse.
The problem was Raymond was not there to say.
At least, everyone aboard believed he wasn’t.
Far away, in the cabin of a small fishing vessel heading toward the California coast, Raymond Halstead opened his eyes.
A fisherman leaned over him.
“Sir?”
Raymond tried to speak.
His throat burned.
The fisherman brought water.
“Easy.”
Raymond swallowed.
“What’s your name?”
Raymond closed his eyes again.
Then forced the words out.
“Raymond Halstead.”
The fisherman’s expression changed.
The name meant something.
“You’re the missing billionaire?”
Raymond managed a bitter smile.
“Apparently.”
The fisherman reached for a radio.
Raymond grabbed his wrist.
“Wait.”
The man stared.
May you like
Raymond’s voice was barely audible.
“Don’t tell my son.”
Related Stories
