Chapter 9 - The Fall Guy
Mateo dragged Harold behind the overturned desk while glass rained across the carpet.
Ortiz fired twice through the broken window.
Outside, an engine screamed.
Tires tore across wet grass.
"Vehicle heading east!" she shouted into her radio.
Daniel pressed a folded jacket against Harold's shoulder wound.
"Stay with me."
Harold coughed.
"Backup... cloud."
"Password?"
Harold blinked hard.
"Luis... date."
Paramedics arrived six minutes later.
By then Harold had lost enough blood that his lips had turned gray.
They wheeled him out alive.
Barely.
Ortiz sat at his computer while Mateo searched his father's death certificate on his phone.
DATE OF DEATH: OCTOBER 14.
1014 opened Harold's encrypted cloud folder.
The first file contained screenshots of Thomas's messages.
BACKGROUND ON REYES.
NEED CLEAN FINANCIAL PROFILE.
CONFIRM PRINT ACCESS.
Mateo read the last one twice.
"Print access."
Ortiz opened another file.
Bank records filled the screen.
Payments from Evelyn's private account to a consulting company.
Then from the consulting company to an account in Mateo's name.
$15,000.
$20,000.
$30,000.
Mateo stared.
"That isn't my account."
Ortiz nodded. "I know. Routing number belongs to a bank in Delaware."
Daniel leaned closer.
The payment memo read:
L47 COMPLETE.
Mateo felt something cold settle behind his ribs.
"Locker forty-seven."
Daniel looked at him.
"He's repeating it."
"Repeating what?"
"The old crime. Same structure. Fake accounts. Fake signatures. Same numbers."
Ortiz scrolled farther.
A draft affidavit opened.
It described Mateo as Evelyn's secret lover.
It claimed she paid him to obtain the poison.
It claimed he staged the rescue at the reception after losing his nerve.
Daniel read one line and shoved away from the desk.
"He's building the whole case around him."
Mateo's phone rang.
Estate security.
"Mr. Reyes? Police are searching staff vehicles."
"Why?"
"Detective's order."
Ortiz frowned. "Not my order."
She was moving before the sentence ended.
They reached the garage as two officers stood beside Mateo's landscaping truck.
One held an evidence bag.
Inside was a small white container.
The same type Evelyn had carried in her purse.
Mateo stared.
"That isn't mine."
The officer looked at Ortiz.
"Found under the driver's seat."
Mateo stepped back.
Daniel looked from him to the bag.
The second officer lifted a fingerprint kit.
"Preliminary powder shows multiple ridge impressions."
Ortiz's expression hardened.
"Whose?"
The officer looked directly at Mateo.
"His."
Mateo's hands opened at his sides.
The first officer reached for his cuffs.
May you like
"Mateo Reyes, put your hands where I can see them."
