Chapter 7 - THE MAN I CALLED BROTHER
Victor Hale had stood beside me at Caroline's funeral.
He had carried one side of her casket.
He had slept on the sofa outside my bedroom for two nights after I came home because Sarah was afraid I would be alone.
He had been the first person to tell me I should start dating again.
He had introduced me to the museum fundraiser where I supposedly met Evelyn by chance.
Now Linda Marlowe stood in a hotel hallway and accused him of being the man who had worked with Evelyn six years earlier.
Victor's smile vanished slowly.
"I don't know this woman."
Linda laughed.
"You said that about me before."
"Excuse me?"
"Caroline confronted you in her office."
My heart hammered.
"What?"
Victor looked at me.
"Thomas, this is absurd."
Linda continued.
"You told Caroline I was confused."
"I have never met you."
"You threatened my husband."
Victor's expression hardened.
"Detective, whoever you are, I assume you can see this woman is unstable."
Ruiz did not blink.
"Interesting that you knew I was a detective."
Victor glanced at her badge.
"It is visible."
"Not from where you were standing."
For the first time, Victor looked unsettled.
Evelyn stepped between us.
"Enough."
Every face turned toward her.
She seemed to realize too late that she had spoken with authority she was not supposed to possess.
She softened her voice.
"Thomas has had a terrible shock today."
"Which shock?" I asked.
"Genevieve's behavior."
My jaw tightened.
"My daughter's behavior?"
"She has been trying to sabotage us for months."
"She has a bruise across her face."
Evelyn's lips parted.
"What?"
The surprise was competent.
It would have convinced me yesterday.
"You heard me."
"Thomas, I have not seen Genevieve today."
Toby's small voice came from behind Martin.
"Yes you did."
Every adult became silent.
Evelyn looked at him.
Toby moved behind Martin's leg.
"Sweetheart," Evelyn said gently.
"You are confused."
Toby shook his head.
"You yelled."
"Toby."
"You hit Mommy."
Evelyn's face lost color.
Victor looked at her sharply.
It was the first genuine reaction I had seen from him.
He had not known about the assault.
That mattered.
Evelyn crouched as if she intended to speak to Toby at his level.
I stepped between them.
"Stay away from him."
Her head snapped up.
"Thomas."
"I mean it."
She rose slowly.
"You are taking the word of a three-year-old over mine?"
"No."
I kept my voice calm.
"I am taking the video over yours."
That was the first time Evelyn truly broke.
Her mouth opened.
No sound came out.
Victor's eyes shifted to me.
"What video?"
I watched him carefully.
Evelyn recovered first.
"There is no video."
I smiled.
"You seem certain."
She realized the mistake.
"Because I never hit her."
"Then you have nothing to worry about."
Ruiz stepped forward.
"Ms. Kensington, I would like you to remain available for questions."
"Am I under arrest?"
"No."
"Then I would like privacy with my fiance."
"No," I said.
Her eyes filled with tears.
It was a performance I had seen many times.
The trembling lower lip.
The controlled breath.
The look of a woman trying to be brave while everyone else mistreated her.
"Thomas, please."
Six months earlier, those words would have ended any argument.
Now I saw the machinery beneath them.
"Go to your suite."
"You don't mean that."
"I do."
"After everything we have been through?"
"Go."
She looked at Victor.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
He gave her nothing.
That frightened her more than my anger.
Evelyn walked away with her mother.
Ruiz signaled an officer to follow discreetly.
Victor remained.
"Thomas, you cannot seriously believe Linda Marlowe."
I stared at him.
"You remember her name now."
His face changed.
"You said it."
"No."
I stepped closer.
"She never introduced herself in front of you."
Victor's mouth tightened.
Martin looked at me.
Ruiz looked at Victor.
Linda began to cry.
Victor exhaled.
"Fine."
"Fine what?"
"I remember her from the foundation."
"You just said you never met her."
"Because I have met thousands of employees over thirty years."
"She didn't work for you."
"She worked for Caroline."
"Which makes your memory even more interesting."
Victor's jaw hardened.
"You are not thinking clearly."
The phrase hit me like a slap.
You are not thinking clearly.
The same idea appeared in the forged medical letter.
I watched his face.
"Say that again."
"Thomas."
"Say it again."
Victor raised his hands.
"I said you are under emotional stress."
"No."
I stepped closer.
"You said I am not thinking clearly."
Martin intervened.
"Everyone needs to stop talking until counsel is present."
Victor laughed.
"I have counsel."
"Then call them."
Victor looked at me.
"You are really doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"Throwing away twenty-eight years because a frightened woman makes an accusation in a hallway?"
"No."
I touched the USB in my pocket.
"I am reviewing evidence."
For the first time, Victor's eyes dropped to my jacket.
The same place Evelyn's had.
He knew about the drive.
I felt certain of it.
Ruiz asked him to remain at the hotel.
He smiled.
"I am not detained."
"Correct."
"Then I have a company to run."
He walked toward the elevator.
I called after him.
"Victor."
He turned.
"The board meeting Monday is cancelled."
His expression barely changed.
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
"Thomas, don't be childish."
"And your access to Vance Capital systems is suspended pending review."
That did it.
His face went still.
"You cannot suspend me without board approval."
"I can suspend your credentials for a security audit."
"On what basis?"
"Pick one."
His hands curled at his sides.
Then he smiled.
"You are making a mistake."
"I have made several."
I glanced toward Evelyn's corridor.
"Today I started correcting them."
Victor walked away.
Martin leaned toward me.
"You realize he will call the board before he reaches the lobby."
"I am counting on it."
"Why?"
"Because if he panics, he shows us what matters most to him."
Ruiz looked at me.
"You do enjoy this."
"Not even slightly."
Linda gripped the back of a chair near the wall.
"He will not panic."
"Everyone panics."
"Not Victor."
"Then what does he do?"
Her answer came quietly.
"He makes someone else panic for him."
My phone rang.
The caller was the hospital.
I answered immediately.
"Mr. Vance?"
"Yes."
"This is St. Matthew's Emergency Department."
My stomach dropped.
"Is my daughter all right?"
"She is stable, but we need to confirm something."
"What?"
"A man just arrived claiming to be Genevieve Vance's husband and requesting access to her medical information."
I closed my eyes.
Genevieve had been divorced for two years.
"What is his name?"
The nurse answered.
"Victor Hale."
I looked across the hall.
The elevator doors were closing with the real Victor still visible inside.
He had not reached the hospital.
May you like
Someone was using his name.
