Chapter 15 - THE DINNER THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A FUNERAL
Z
Richard Halden expected Damon Blackwell to arrive angry.
He expected threats.
He expected a display of force.
He expected the younger man to behave exactly as his father would have.
What he did not expect was Kate Bennett.
At precisely seven o’clock, the elevator doors opened on the Grand Fairmont’s presidential floor.
Damon stepped out wearing a black suit.
Beside him walked Kate in a deep green dress.
Her healed arm rested comfortably at her side.
Matteo followed several steps behind.
Richard stood as they entered.
“Damon.”
“Richard.”
Then Richard looked at Kate.
“And this must be Miss Bennett.”
Kate smiled politely.
“Mr. Halden.”
He took her offered hand.
“I’ve heard a great deal about you.”
“I’ve heard enough about you.”
Richard laughed.
“Direct. I admire that.”
Kate withdrew her hand.
“Most men like you admire honesty until it becomes inconvenient.”
Damon almost smiled.
Richard noticed.
Interesting.
The young woman had influence.
That could be useful.
Or dangerous.
They sat at a long dining table overlooking the city.
Silver cutlery.
Crystal glasses.
White roses.
A dinner arranged with enough elegance to disguise a threat.
Richard poured wine.
Damon declined.
Kate asked for water.
Richard smiled.
“Young people are so cautious.”
Damon looked at him.
“Show me the document.”
“No appetizer?”
“No.”
Richard sighed.
“Your father had the same impatience.”
“My father is dead.”
“Yes.”
A pause.
“Tragic.”
Damon’s jaw tightened.
Kate gently touched his wrist beneath the table.
Richard watched.
Then removed a cream-colored envelope.
Inside was a transfer authorization.
Eleanor Blackwell’s signature appeared at the bottom.
The amount was two million dollars.
The recipient was a shell company tied to the people who arranged Isabella’s fatal crash.
Damon stared.
Kate examined the pages carefully.
“What is this dated?”
Richard smiled.
“March seventeenth.”
Kate looked up.
“Of what year?”
“Nineteen years ago.”
She turned the document over.
“Interesting.”
Richard raised an eyebrow.
“What is?”
“The account number.”
Damon looked at her.
Kate continued.
“This banking format wasn’t used by that institution until several years later.”
Richard’s smile weakened.
Kate had spent weeks helping the Blackwell foundation review complicated financial records.
She had become familiar with bank identifiers, transfer codes, and archived payment systems.
Now something felt wrong.
She pointed.
“This routing reference is inconsistent with the date.”
Richard leaned back.
“Are you an accountant, Miss Bennett?”
“No.”
“Then perhaps—”
“But the foundation employs three.”
She smiled.
“And one of them reviewed a copy before we arrived.”
Damon turned toward her.
Kate met his eyes.
“I asked Matteo to photograph the document when Richard’s office sent the preview page to your attorney.”
Richard’s face changed.
Only slightly.
But Kate saw it.
“The transfer was real,” she continued.
“The authorization existed.”
“Exactly,” Richard said.
“But this copy was altered.”
Silence.
Kate placed the paper down.
“You wanted Damon to believe Eleanor knowingly paid for Isabella’s murder.”
Richard’s eyes hardened.
“That is a serious accusation.”
“So is forging evidence.”
Damon leaned forward.
“You changed the destination account.”
Richard said nothing.
“The original transfer went somewhere else.”
Kate nodded.
“An offshore escrow account.”
Richard’s expression went cold.
Damon understood.
Eleanor had signed to move money for Isabella’s escape.
Richard later redirected the funds.
Then preserved an altered record to blackmail the family.
“Where is the original?” Damon asked.
Richard smiled again.
“You assume I kept it.”
Damon stood.
The room became tense.
Richard’s security men shifted near the doors.
Kate remained seated.
“Damon.”
He stopped.
She looked at Richard.
“You know why Preston Caldwell lost?”
Richard frowned.
“He was careless.”
“No.”
Kate folded her hands.
“He thought women were too afraid to tell the truth.”
Richard’s expression darkened.
Kate continued.
“You’re making the same mistake.”
Richard laughed.
“My dear, you have absolutely no understanding of the world you’re speaking about.”
Kate nodded.
“Maybe.”
Then she reached into her handbag.
She placed a small recorder on the table.
Richard stared.
“Are you recording me?”
“Yes.”
“That is unacceptable.”
“We told your attorney this meeting would be documented.”
Richard’s eyes moved toward Damon.
Damon nodded.
“You received written notice.”
Richard looked furious.
Kate leaned forward.
“And unlike the people you’ve spent decades threatening, we’re not keeping this conversation secret.”
At that moment, the suite doors opened.
Two federal agents entered.
Richard rose sharply.
“What is this?”
Damon remained calm.
“A meeting.”
One agent approached.
“Richard Halden?”
“Yes.”
“We have a warrant to search the offices and private residence associated with Halden Global Holdings.”
Richard stared.
“You can’t be serious.”
The second agent continued.
“We also need to question you regarding financial transactions connected to the death of Isabella Blackwell.”
Richard looked toward Damon.
Then Kate.
For the first time, his confidence faltered.
But he was not finished.
He reached into his jacket.
Matteo moved instantly.
“Hands.”
Richard froze.
Slowly, he removed a phone.
“Relax.”
He tapped the screen.
A video appeared.
Sofia Blackwell.
Sitting in a dark room.
Her hands tied.
Kate’s blood turned cold.
Damon stepped forward.
“What did you do?”
Richard smiled.
“There it is.”
Damon’s face became murderous.
Richard continued.
“I wondered how long you could remain civilized.”
The video shifted.
Noah appeared beside his mother.
His eyes were red.
He was crying.
Damon took another step.
Matteo grabbed his arm.
Richard raised the phone.
“Call off your investigators.”
Damon said nothing.
“Destroy the recordings.”
Silence.
“And I might allow your sister and nephew to live.”
Kate felt terror rise.
But then she noticed something.
A sound in the video.
A faint bell.
Then another.
She knew that sound.
Eleanor’s antique clock.
The one in the east sitting room.
Kate turned toward Damon.
Her eyes widened.
They had not taken Sofia somewhere unknown.
May you like
They were inside Eleanor’s house.
And the danger was already home.
