Chapter 11 - corporate warfare
Mark dragged Ray Miller up the muddy slope to the main house, where his private security team immediately pinned the man to the gravel and bound him with heavy zip-ties.
Within ten minutes, Detective Sarah Miller was back at the estate with two additional state police cruisers. When Mark handed her Clara’s original journals, the mechanic’s report, and Ray Miller’s signed statement from Clara’s murder four years ago, the detective looked up, her expression grave.
"This is a federal homicide conspiracy, Mr. Whitmore," Detective Miller said. "Ray Miller isn't seeing daylight again. But what about Thomas Sterling?"
"Thomas is at my corporate headquarters in Manhattan right now," Mark said, checking his watch. It was 8:30 a.m. The emergency shareholder meeting was scheduled for 9:00 a.m. "He thinks he has the votes to take my company."
"We can't get a Manhattan warrant signed and executed in thirty minutes," the detective warned.
"I don't need a warrant to attend my own board meeting," Mark said, turning toward his Aston Martin parked in the circular drive.
He ran up to his bedroom for thirty seconds. Lily was sitting on the bed, eating pancakes with Rosa. When she saw him, she ran forward and hugged his leg.
"Daddy, you have dirt on your shirt," she said softly.
Mark knelt down, kissing her forehead. "I’m going to fix everything, Lily. When I come home today, we’re going to go to the park, and nobody is ever going to hurt you or scare you again. Do you trust me?"
Lily smiled—a small, real, beautiful smile. "I trust you, Daddy."
Mark kissed her cheek, stood up, and looked at Rosa. "Keep the front gates locked. Let no one in."
"Go get them, Mr. Whitmore," Rosa said fiercely.
May you like
Mark sprinted down the stairs, leaped into his car, and roared down the driveway, the engine roaring like thunder as he headed south toward Manhattan.
***
