Chapter 7: The Other Investigation
The call stayed connected.
“Federal agents. Step away from the phone.””
Then Ethan’s voice disappeared beneath a burst of movement.
Melissa shouted, “What’s happening?””
A man ordered everyone to remain where they were.
Then the line went dead.
I stared at my phone.
Dad was already moving.
“Evelyn.””
She appeared from the hallway.
“Yes, General?””
“Find out which agency.””
Rebecca raised a hand.
“Carefully. We do not interfere with a federal investigation.””
Dad gave her a hard look.
“I said find out, not interfere.””
Noah stirred against me.
I looked down at his tiny face.
Five days old.
Somehow his name was already attached to property, trusts, forged documents, and now federal agents were standing inside his parents’ apartment.
“What could they want with Ethan?””
Rebecca closed her folder.
“Potentially nothing connected to us.””
Nobody believed that.
Twenty minutes later, Evelyn returned.
“Financial Crimes Task Force.””
Rebecca’s expression sharpened.
“Agency?””
“Federal and state personnel. Search warrant.””
“For our apartment?””
“Yes.””
My stomach tightened.
“Why?””
“We don’t know.””
Dad looked toward Rebecca.
“Could your inquiry have triggered this?””
“No. Not this quickly.””
That answer changed everything.
If Rebecca hadn’t caused it, then someone had already been investigating Ethan.
Before the bus.
Before I called Dad.
Before any of us knew about the stolen money.
My phone vibrated.
Melissa.
*They took Ethan’s work laptop. Dad is freaking out. Mom isn’t answering.*
Another message followed.
*They asked about something called Meridian Strategic Consulting.*
I showed Rebecca.
She went still.
“That’s the consulting firm Diane paid.””
Dad looked at her.
“You’re sure?””
“Absolutely.””
The room became silent.
Rebecca immediately called one of her associates.
“Pull everything we legally have on Meridian. Ownership, officers, registered addresses, civil filings.””
She ended the call.
I felt suddenly cold.
“What does that mean?””
“It means Diane may not simply have hired them.””
Twenty-seven minutes later, Rebecca’s associate called back.
She put him on speaker.
“Meridian Strategic Consulting was formed four years ago in Delaware. Its listed manager is a holding company.””
“Who owns the holding company?”” Rebecca asked.
“Tracing it now. But there’s something else. Meridian has received payments from multiple Carter-linked entities.””
I looked at Ethan’s name on my silent phone.
“How many?””
“At least six.””
“Six payments?””
“Six entities.””
Dad’s face hardened.
“What kind of entities?””
“Small corporations. Property management, logistics, consulting. Most appear inactive.””
Rebecca asked, “Any connection to Ethan’s employer?””
A pause.
“Yes.””
My chest tightened.
“One of the entities received funds from a vendor Ethan supervised.””
Dad turned toward the window.
Rebecca’s associate continued.
“And then transferred a portion to Meridian.””
“So Ethan was moving company money?”” I asked.
“We cannot conclude that yet.””
Rebecca looked directly at me.
“But investigators may be asking the same question.””
My phone rang again.
Richard.
“Claire?””
He sounded twenty years older.
“Are you okay?””
“No.””
“Where’s Ethan?””
“They took him downstairs. I don’t know if he’s arrested.””
“Where’s Diane?””
“I don’t know.””
Richard lowered his voice.
“The agents asked for her.””
Dad looked at me.
I put the call on speaker.
“What did they ask?””
“Where she lives. What businesses she controls. Whether she uses another last name.””
Rebecca leaned forward.
“Richard, what other last name?””
“I don’t know.””
Then Melissa spoke somewhere near him.
“Yes, you do.””
Richard went quiet.
“Dad, tell her.””
“Melissa—”
“Tell Claire.””
I gripped the phone.
“What name?””
Richard exhaled.
“Diane Mercer.””
Rebecca looked up instantly.
“Mercer?””
“That was her maiden name.””
Meridian.
Mercer.
Maybe coincidence.
Rebecca clearly didn’t think so.
“Richard,” she said, “has Diane ever operated a business under Mercer?””
“I don’t know.””
“Think carefully.””
A long pause.
“Years ago, before Ethan was born, she worked with her brother.””
“What was his name?””
“David Mercer.””
Dad turned.
D.M.
The initials in Diane’s calendar.
Not a doctor.
Not an investigator.
David Mercer.
My skin went cold.
“What did David do?””
Richard hesitated.
“Private lending. Property deals. Things like that.””
“What happened to him?””
“I thought he retired.””
Melissa cut in.
“He didn’t.””
“How do you know?””
“I’ve met him.””
Richard sounded stunned.
“When?””
“Mom introduced us last year. She told me not to mention it because you two had some old family argument.””
Rebecca stood.
“Melissa, when you met David, where were you?””
“At the Hamptons house.””
I closed my eyes.
There it was.
Diane hadn’t been operating alone.
“Was Ethan there?””
“Yes.””
The room seemed to shrink around me.
“When?””
“Last November.””
I had been pregnant.
At home.
Ethan had told me he was attending a conference in Boston.
“Who else?””
“Mom. Uncle David. Ethan. Two men I didn’t know.””
“Did they discuss me?””
Melissa went silent.
“Melissa?””
“Yes.””
My throat tightened.
“What did they say?””
“I didn’t hear everything. I was upstairs.””
“Tell me what you heard.””
“One of the men said the Morgan connection made the structure dangerous.””
Dad’s expression became unreadable.
“And?””
“Uncle David said Ethan had it under control.””
My hands began shaking.
“Anything else?””
Melissa started crying.
“Mom said after the baby arrived, you wouldn’t be a problem anymore.””
Nobody spoke.
Noah made a tiny sound against my chest.
I kissed his forehead.
Dad walked toward me.
“Claire.””
“I’m fine.””
“No, you’re not.””
“I need to know.””
Rebecca nodded slowly.
“So do I.””
Her phone rang.
She answered.
Listened.
Then looked directly at Dad.
“What?””
Rebecca covered the receiver.
“They found the beneficial owner of Meridian’s parent company.””
“David Mercer?”” I asked.
“No.””
My stomach dropped.
“Who?””
May you like
Rebecca’s eyes stayed on mine.
“Ethan.””
