Chapter 5 - The Midnight Convoy
At 1:30 AM, the headlights of three heavy black SUVs illuminated the long, winding driveway of Mercer House.
Daniel stood on the front terrace, wrapped in a dark coat, watching the vehicles come to a stop on the wet cobblestones. Beside him stood Nora, holding Claire’s medical file wrapped in a waterproof leather folder.
The door of the lead SUV opened, and a broad-shouldered man in a dark trench coat stepped out into the rain. It was Detective Thomas Miller of the Connecticut State Police Major Crimes Division—an old friend of Daniel’s late father.
Behind the police vehicles sat a private, unmarked medical transport van equipped with an intensive care suite.
"Daniel," Detective Miller said, walking up the stone steps, his face grave. "Your call sounded urgent. What the hell is going on?"
"I have a felony poisoning case, Thomas," Daniel said without hesitation. "Along with attempted murder, corporate fraud, and medical malpractice."
Daniel stepped aside, gesturing toward the interior of the house.
"Inside is my sister, Claire. She has been poisoned with thallium over the course of eleven months by Dr. Julian Vance, under the instruction of my uncle, Arthur Mercer."
Detective Miller’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Arthur? Your father's brother?"
"I have the physical evidence," Nora stepped forward, handing the leather folder to the detective. "Inside you will find independent chemical test results showing heavy-metal toxicity in her IV fluid, financial transfer logs from Arthur Mercer’s offshore accounts to Dr. Vance’s clinic, and a audio recording I made three hours ago when Dr. Vance attempted to administer an unlabelled neuro-inhibitor."
Detective Miller opened the folder, skimming through the documents under the bright porch light. His expression hardened with every passing second.
"Is Claire safe?" Miller asked.
"She’s being prepped for transport right now," Daniel said. "I am moving her to a private, secure facility in New York under an assumed name. Only Nora, you, and I will know her location."
"Good," Miller said, snapping the folder shut. "Where is Vance now?"
"He returned to his private clinic in New Haven," Daniel said. "He thinks I'm an arrogant, ignorant billionaire who dismissed him in a fit of emotion. He has no idea we have the financial records."
"And Arthur?"
Daniel pulled his phone from his pocket, displaying a calendar invite for the following morning at ten o'clock.
"Arthur called an emergency meeting of the Mercer Global executive board for ten AM tomorrow," Daniel said, a cold, dangerous smile touching his lips. "He believes Claire is incapacitated and that he will be taking control of her voting shares."
Detective Miller looked at Daniel, then at Nora. "What do you need from me, Daniel?"
May you like
"I need a warrant for Julian Vance’s clinic before sunrise," Daniel said. "And I need a team of state troopers waiting outside the Mercer Global board room at ten o'clock tomorrow morning."
Miller gave a single, firm nod. "Consider it done."
