Chapter 5 - Unraveling the Web
By 3:00 AM, I was in a secure suite at the Drake Hotel. Vance sat across from me, sipping black coffee, while two tech specialists worked frantically on military-grade laptops connected to my hard drives.
“We ran Daniel’s true financial trail,” Vance said, sliding a tablet across the table. “He’s not just a hedge-fund manager, Mara. He’s running a massive money-laundering scheme for an offshore syndicate. But worse—he’s been using private medical facilities to alter health records.”
I stared at the screen. “He tried to make Eli look unstable so no one would listen if he spoke up.”
“Precisely,” Vance said. “And he’s doing it right now. Look at this.”
Vance pulled up a local news broadcast feed. A prominent Chicago defense attorney was holding a midnight press conference outside the hospital.
“My client, Mr. Daniel Pierce, is deeply saddened by the defamatory statements made by his stepson tonight,” the attorney was telling reporters. “The young man has been struggling with severe psychological issues, and Mr. Pierce is currently pursuing legal avenues to ensure the boy receives proper medical and psychiatric care in a secure facility.”
My blood ran cold. Daniel was using the media to frame Eli as crazy before the police could even finish taking his statement.
“He’s playing dirty,” I muttered.
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“Then let’s play dirtier,” Vance replied. “What’s our first move?”
“Daniel has an exclusive charity gala tomorrow night at the Palmer House,” I said, a cold smile forming on my face. “He thinks he’s going to control the narrative. Let's give him an audience he’ll never forget.”
