Chapter 4 - Richard Hale Did Not Ask About the MoneyRichard stared at Emily for so long that she became uncomfortable.
She stood.
Marcus immediately moved slightly between them.
Richard noticed.
His eyes hardened.
“You think I’m going to hurt her?”
“I think Anna told me not to trust anybody.”
Richard’s face changed.
“You spoke to Anna?”
Marcus looked toward Emily.
“She’s dead.”
Richard stopped breathing.
The billionaire who had faced television cameras during bankruptcies, lawsuits, and the death of his wife simply folded into a chair.
“No.”
Emily watched.
“My mother died eleven days ago.”
Richard covered his mouth.
“What happened?”
“Cancer.”
The answer broke something in him.
“Cancer?”
Emily nodded.
“She was sick for a long time.”
Richard looked toward Marcus.
“You knew?”
“No.”
“Where was she?”
“Colorado.”
Emily corrected:
“Mostly.”
Both men looked at her.
Emily explained.
Anna moved often.
Nevada.
Arizona.
Colorado.
Sometimes using Bennett.
Sometimes Brooks.
Never Hale.
Richard’s voice cracked.
“She hid from me until she died.”
Marcus placed Anna’s letter on the desk.
“She hid from someone.”
Richard saw the envelope.
His daughter’s handwriting.
His hand trembled as he reached.
Marcus stopped him.
“She addressed it to me.”
Richard looked offended.
Then devastated.
“What does it say?”
Marcus gave him only part.
Anna had not blamed Richard directly.
Someone close to him caused her to run.
The violin could prove Emily’s identity.
And Anna wanted Marcus to find the Blue Room ledger before bringing Emily to Richard.
Richard froze.
“The Blue Room.”
Marcus studied his reaction.
“You know what she meant?”
Richard looked at Emily.
Then Paul.
“Everyone out except Marcus and Emily.”
Paul hesitated.
Richard’s old authority returned.
“Now.”
Emily spoke.
“I want the woman officer to stay.”
Richard looked at her.
“Of course.”
That mattered.
He did not argue.
When the room cleared, Richard said:
“The ledger belonged to my father.”
Marcus frowned.
“Howard?”
“Yes.”
Howard Hale founded the company.
He was ruthless.
Brilliant.
Obsessed with keeping private accounts separate from official ones.
Not illegal accounts necessarily.
Personal obligations.
Loans.
Promises.
Family arrangements.
“The Blue Ledger documented anything he believed could destroy the family if mishandled.”
Marcus stared.
“And Anna knew about it?”
“She found it when she was nineteen.”
Richard looked toward Emily.
“Your mother could never leave locked doors alone.”
Emily almost smiled.
That sounded like Anna.
“What was in it?”
Richard’s face darkened.
“Things about my brother.”
Marcus went still.
Richard’s younger brother, Thomas Hale, died twelve years ago in a boating accident.
Thomas had been charming.
Popular.
And financially reckless.
“He borrowed from people Howard wouldn’t approve of.”
“Criminals?”
“Some.”
Richard continued.
Thomas used company properties as collateral without authority.
One deal involved the Beverly Hills Grand.
Howard discovered it and quietly covered the debt to protect the company.
Marcus frowned.
“What does that have to do with Anna?”
“Anna found evidence Thomas had continued after Howard died.”
Richard looked ashamed.
“She brought it to me.”
“What did you do?”
“I told her I’d handle it.”
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
Richard glared.
“I was trying to prevent federal scrutiny from destroying thousands of jobs.”
“And what happened to Anna?”
“She accused me of protecting Thomas.”
“Were you?”
Richard did not answer quickly enough.
Marcus knew.
Richard continued.
“Three weeks later Thomas died.”
“Accident.”
“So they said.”
Emily looked between them.
“My mother knew Uncle Thomas?”
Richard’s eyes filled.
“He was her favorite uncle.”
Then something clicked.
Marcus remembered Anna’s final months in Los Angeles.
She became paranoid after Thomas died.
Said somebody searched her apartment.
Said money had disappeared from an account.
Marcus assumed grief.
Maybe not.
Richard continued.
“After Thomas died, the Blue Ledger disappeared.”
Marcus stared.
“When?”
“The same week Anna vanished.”
Silence.
Emily clutched the violin case.
Richard looked at her.
“Did your mother ever mention a blue book?”
“No.”
“A storage key?”
Emily shook her head.
Then remembered.
“She had a blue tin box.”
Marcus turned.
“Where?”
“At home.”
“What was inside?”
“I don’t know. She never let me touch it.”
“Where is it now?”
Emily’s face changed.
“The motel.”
Marcus stood.
“We’re going.”
Richard rose too.
“No.”
Marcus looked at him.
Richard’s voice hardened.
“If Victor already knows she’s alive, we do not send a nine-year-old back to an unsecured motel.”
Emily folded her arms.
“I’m going.”
Richard looked at her.
For a second, Marcus expected old Richard to order everyone around.
Instead, he nodded.
“Then I’m sending security.”
“No.”
“Emily—”
“Two people.”
Richard stopped.
She continued.
“Marcus and the woman officer.”
Richard stared.
Emily’s chin lifted.
“My mother said rich people make everything feel like you don’t get a choice.”
Richard looked as if Anna herself had slapped him.
Then he nodded.
“Two.”
Marcus almost smiled.
Richard was learning faster than expected.
Before they left, Richard asked:
“Emily?”
She looked back.
“Your mother…”
His voice broke.
“Did she hate me?”
Emily thought.
“No.”
Hope entered his face.
Then she finished.
“She was afraid you’d choose the family name over her again.”
Richard’s hope died.
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And Marcus knew Anna’s disappearance had not begun with a stranger.
It began with a choice Richard had already made once.
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