Chapter 9 - THE FATHER WHO OWNED EVERYTHING
Charles Hayes disappeared within six hours of Jonathan’s rescue.
Private aircraft records showed no flights.
Border alerts returned nothing.
His phones were abandoned.
His financial accounts untouched.
Jonathan understood.
“He has another identity.”
Rebecca looked at him.
“How do you know?”
“My father always said wealthy men don’t need escape plans.”
Jonathan stared through the window.
“They need alternate lives.”
Hayes Global owned properties through hundreds of subsidiaries.
Searching them could take months.
But Rachel’s documents revealed a pattern.
Several fraudulent medical clinics had been built near old rail lines.
One was located thirty miles from Old Mill Road.
Jonathan recognized it.
“My father took me there when I was fourteen.”
Rebecca looked up.
“Why?”
“He said it was going to become a rehabilitation hospital.”
“It never opened?”
“No.”
They drove there before dawn.
The building appeared abandoned.
But fresh tire tracks crossed the gravel.
Inside they found computers still warm.
Burned paperwork.
A hidden sleeping area.
And surveillance photographs.
Rachel.
Jonathan.
Emma.
The hospital.
The twins.
Charles had known everything.
Then Rebecca opened a cabinet.
Inside were dozens of folders.
Names.
Dates.
Payments.
Judges.
Police officers.
Doctors.
Business executives.
Charles had built leverage over everyone.
Grant’s file contained evidence of gambling debt.
Celeste’s contained photographs of her younger brother accepting illegal money.
Jonathan’s file was different.
Only one sheet.
PRIMARY THREAT.
Rachel found her own.
UNRESOLVED.
Emma’s folder contained school photographs.
Jonathan became physically ill.
“They watched her.”
Rebecca nodded.
“For years.”
Rachel opened the twins’ folder.
One word was written across it.
CONTINGENCY.
Jonathan slammed his fist into the cabinet.
“He ordered the formula.”
“We need proof.”
“I don’t care about proof.”
Rebecca stepped in front of him.
“If you go after him angry, you lose.”
“He tried to kill my children.”
“And I want him convicted for it.”
Rebecca looked him directly in the eye.
“Not buried by another Hayes scandal.”
Jonathan breathed heavily.
Then nodded.
Behind them, Emma wandered toward an old bulletin board.
Laura had accompanied her because Rachel refused to leave Emma behind with unknown security.
Emma studied several photographs.
Then pointed.
“That man.”
Rebecca walked over.
The photograph showed Charles at a fundraiser.
Beside him stood a uniformed sheriff’s officer.
“Who?”
Emma pointed again.
“He came to our house too.”
Rebecca felt sick.
“When?”
“The morning Mommy wouldn’t wake up.”
Everyone froze.
Emma continued.
“He opened the door.”
Rachel stared at her daughter.
“You saw someone?”
Emma nodded.
“I was hiding.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
“He had a police shirt.”
Emma looked confused.
“I thought police were good.”
May you like
The officer in the photograph was Sheriff Daniel Mercer.
Rebecca’s own boss.
