“How long have you been meeting with him?”
A long silence followed.
Then she whispered, “Almost a year.”
My stomach tightened.
A year.
Twelve months of secret meetings.
While I invited them to Sunday dinner.
While I paid the property taxes on the River Oaks house.
While I bought birthday gifts for their children.
“What were you planning?”
She didn’t answer.
I waited.
Finally, she whispered something that chilled me.
“Malcolm said Cedarline was supposed to belong to Trevor.”
***
The following morning, Daniel obtained preliminary company records from Ashcroft Development Group.
The business had been formed fourteen months earlier.
Its registered office was a modest building outside the city.
The listed manager was a woman named Evelyn Price.
I didn’t recognize her.
But the name of Ashcroft’s legal representative made my stomach tighten.
**MALCOLM WHITMORE.**
I stared at Daniel.
“So he’s behind it.”
“It appears he’s deeply involved.”
I looked down at the documents.
