Chapter 5 - Cornered
"That's a lie! It's a setup!" Richard roared, his composure completely shattering. He pointed a shaking finger at Julian. "You're trying to frame me! I loved my wife!"
"We aren't making any accusations yet, Mr. Hayes," Arthur Pendelton said coldly, standing up from his seat. "However, given these severe financial irregularities and the ongoing police investigation into the helicopter incident, the board has unanimously voted to suspend your access to all Hayes Global facilities, accounts, and properties effective immediately."
"You can't do this to me!" Richard screamed. Security guards stepped into the room, placing themselves between Richard and the board members.
"Please leave the premises, Mr. Hayes," Julian said smoothly. "Or we will have the San Francisco Police Department escort you out for trespassing."
Richard glared at the faces around the room, realizing in that horrifying moment that he had lost control of the board. The fortune he had risked everything to steal was slipping through his fingers like sand. Veins bulged on his neck as he turned on his heel and stormed out of the boardroom, flanked by security.
As he rode the private elevator down to the garage, his phone buzzed. It was an encrypted text message from an unknown number.
Attached to the message was an audio file.
With shaking hands, Richard pressed play. The sound of his own voice filled the elevator cabin:
“Move a little closer to the door. You’ll get an even better view from there.”
Then came the sound of the violent shove, followed by the wind screaming through the open helicopter bay.
Richard dropped his phone onto the floor of the elevator. The screen cracked, but the audio kept playing, echoing off the mirrored walls of the cabin.
A second text popped up on the cracked screen:
“The police don’t have this recording yet, Richard. But they will... unless you come to the coastal estate in Carmel tonight. Alone. 10:00 PM.”
Richard picked up the phone, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. He was drowning, and he knew it. Someone knew what he had done. Someone had recorded the murder attempt.
He didn't know if it was an extortionist, a rogue employee, or a ghost. But he knew that if that recording reached the FBI, he would spend the rest of his life in a federal prison—or worse, face the death penalty.
"I have to destroy them," Richard whispered to himself, his eyes bloodshot and crazed. "Whoever it is... I'll kill them too."
Sitting in our command center, watching the live telemetry from his phone, I turned to Vance. "He fell for the bait. He’s heading to Carmel."
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"Everything is set at the estate," Vance confirmed. "Tactical teams are in position. The local authorities have been notified and are on standby. As soon as he steps foot on that property with intent to harm, we close the net."
"No," I said, standing up and touching my bump. "Not yet. I want to look him in the eye when he realizes the truth."
