Chapter 14 - THE $75,000 PAYMENTDaniel Carter was Ryan's older half-brother.
Another person Ryan had erased from his life.
Claire followed the financial records surrounding Steven Maddox.
What she found changed the case.
Three weeks before Natalie confronted Ryan at the mall, Steven received $75,000 through a consulting company.
The payment was connected to Daniel.
Emily stared at the bank record.
“If Noah doesn't receive the trust, where does the money go?”
Claire answered carefully.
“Back into another branch of the Carter family.”
“Daniel?”
“Most likely.”
Ryan stood.
“So Steven ruined my divorce for money?”
“Not necessarily.”
Claire opened the original case timeline.
Ryan and Natalie's divorce problems had started nine years earlier.
Long before Noah existed.
But Daniel already knew about William's estate planning.
Emily suddenly understood.
“What if the divorce wasn't accidentally left unfinished?”
Ryan looked at her.
“What are you saying?”
“What if someone wanted your legal life complicated?”
Silence filled the room.
Claire's phone rang.
She answered and listened without speaking.
Then her expression changed.
“What happened?” Emily asked.
Claire slowly lowered the phone.
“Steven Maddox didn't show up to work this morning.”
Ryan frowned.
“So?”
“His apartment is empty.”
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Claire looked at them.
“And nobody knows where he went.”
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