Chapter 5 - THE ARCHITECT
Natalie was released after questioning.
There was not yet enough evidence to charge her with Daniel’s death.
Ryan obtained an emergency protective order.
She could not approach Ava.
Natalie moved into a luxury hotel in Beverly Hills.
She gave one statement to reporters.
“My husband is grieving and confused.”
Ryan watched it once.
Then turned off the television.
“She’s building a defense,” Maya said.
Ryan nodded.
“She always builds something before you realize you’re under it.”
Marcus focused on the phrase Emily had written.
The architect.
It could have been literal.
Collins Development employed hundreds of architects.
Or it could have meant the person designing the fraud.
Then Claire remembered something Daniel once told her.
“He called somebody the architect because that person never touched the money.”
Marcus looked up.
“Meaning?”
“They designed the structure.”
Shell companies.
Fake consultants.
Forged authorizations.
Someone else moved the money.
The architect remained invisible.
Evan finally contacted Ryan.
He wanted to meet.
Alone.
Ryan brought Marcus anyway.
Evan was waiting inside an empty parking structure.
He looked terrible.
Unshaven.
Exhausted.
“You brought him?”
“Yes.”
Evan laughed.
“Of course.”
Ryan stepped closer.
“Tell me what happened to Daniel.”
Evan looked away.
“We went to the Santa Barbara house.”
“Why?”
“To scare him.”
Ryan clenched his jaw.
“Who is we?”
“Me and Natalie.”
“You were sleeping with her?”
“No.”
Evan shook his head violently.
“No.”
“She was paying me.”
“With money you stole from our company?”
Evan said nothing.
Ryan understood.
“You stole eighteen million dollars.”
“Not all of it.”
“That makes it better?”
“I was in debt.”
Ryan almost hit him.
Marcus stepped between them.
“Keep talking.”
Evan explained that Natalie had introduced him to financial intermediaries years earlier.
She knew how to hide money.
Daniel discovered the transfers.
Natalie learned Daniel planned to give evidence to Emily.
So they confronted him.
“He got angry.”
Evan’s voice trembled.
“He said he was going to the police.”
“What happened?”
“Natalie grabbed the drive.”
“Then?”
“Daniel tried to take it back.”
Evan closed his eyes.
“They struggled.”
Ryan whispered—
“Did she push him?”
“I don’t know.”
“Bullshit.”
“I turned around.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I heard the railing crack.”
Evan’s face collapsed.
“When I looked again, Daniel was gone.”
Ryan stared.
“And you helped her stage it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I thought I would go to prison.”
“You should have.”
“I know.”
Ryan stepped closer.
“What about Emily?”
Evan’s face changed.
That was enough.
Ryan grabbed his jacket.
“What about Emily?”
“I didn’t kill her.”
“You knew.”
“I suspected.”
“Who cut her brakes?”
“I don’t know.”
“Who is the architect?”
Evan looked terrified.
Before he could answer, a gunshot exploded.
Concrete chipped beside Ryan’s head.
Marcus tackled him.
Another shot.
Evan ran toward a pillar.
A third bullet struck his shoulder.
He fell.
Ryan crawled toward him.
Evan grabbed Ryan’s sleeve.
Blood soaked his shirt.
“Listen.”
“Who?”
Evan struggled to breathe.
“The architect…”
Ryan leaned closer.
Evan whispered a name.
May you like
And Ryan felt the entire world tilt again.
“Mom.”
