Chapter 16 - The Framing of an Innocent
Daniel felt the earth tilt beneath his feet. "You're lying. Emma was hundreds of miles away in Vermont working two jobs."
"Paperwork is a wonderful thing, Daniel," Evelyn purred, tilting her umbrella back to look him dead in the eye. "A forged digital signature here, an IP address routed through her modest little laptop there. When Vanessa managed Jonathan's private care, she ensured every single dose of medication was logged under Emma’s social security number. It was Jonathan's private insurance policy—if Emma ever tried to bring Sophie to light, he had enough fabricated evidence to put her in a federal penitentiary for capital murder."
"My father wouldn't do that to the mother of his grandchild," Daniel growled, though a cold, sickening doubt began to bleed into his chest. He remembered Jonathan’s paranoia in his final months—how the old man trusted no one, tested everyone, and destroyed anything he couldn't control.
"Jonathan was a monster, Daniel," Evelyn said, her voice devoid of emotion. "You inherited his jawline, but thank God you didn't inherit his ruthlessness. That’s why you’re going to lose. By 10:00 AM, the State Police will issue an arrest warrant for Emma Vance-Sterling for the first-degree murder of Jonathan Sterling. Sophie will be placed in emergency state custody. And as Sophie’s maternal grandmother with clean international credentials, I will be granted immediate temporary guardianship."
She took one step back into the deeper shadows of the pine trees.
"Tell Emma her mother sends her love," Evelyn said with a cruel, mocking smile. "And tell her that twenty-two years ago, I didn't crash my car because I wanted to die. I crashed it because she wasn't worth the cost of raising."
Before Daniel could lunge forward, the distinct, sharp crack of a suppressed rifle round kicked up dirt two inches in front of his left boot.
Daniel stood frozen. The message was unmistakable.
May you like
Through the trees, the sleek black Maybach purred to life, its taillights cutting through the mist like bloodshot eyes, disappearing down the private mountain road before Kane’s guards could intercept it.
***
