Chapter 3 - THE MISTRESS WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
Taryn Vail arrived at the Shaw estate shortly after eight.
She wore sunglasses despite the cloudy weather.
Beckett stood in his office, staring at a map of the roads surrounding Laurel's abandoned car.
When Taryn entered, he did not turn.
“Did you hear from her?” she asked.
“No.”
Taryn approached.
“Beckett, I'm sorry about last night.”
He remained silent.
“I never wanted any of this.”
He turned.
“Then why did you come to our anniversary dinner?”
Taryn froze.
“You invited me.”
“I told you the estate was secure. I didn't tell you to humiliate my wife.”
Her eyes filled.
“She attacked me.”
“And I struck her.”
The words sounded different when spoken aloud.
Beckett looked down at his hands.
For years, those hands had signed contracts, ordered punishments, and controlled men who feared his name.
Last night, one of them had struck the woman who had trusted him most.
He felt sick.
Taryn stepped closer.
“She'll come back.”
Beckett looked at her.
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because she loves you.”
He stared.
Then said quietly:
“That's what I thought too.”
Pierce entered.
“Boss, we need to talk.”
Taryn looked irritated.
“Can't it wait?”
“No,” Pierce said.
Beckett motioned toward the door.
“Taryn, leave us.”
She hesitated.
Then obeyed.
Pierce closed the door.
“We have a problem.”
Beckett's expression hardened.
“Other than my missing wife?”
Pierce placed a folder on the desk.
“Federal investigators have requested records from the Shaw Foundation.”
Beckett stared.
“Why?”
“Financial irregularities.”
“Who authorized the transfers?”
Pierce hesitated.
“Several departments.”
Beckett opened the folder.
The figures were enormous.
Eighteen million dollars.
Multiple shell companies.
Payments routed through offshore accounts.
His jaw tightened.
“Who approved this?”
Pierce looked away.
“Your wife signed some of the documents.”
Beckett went still.
“Laurel?”
“Yes.”
Beckett stared at the signatures.
Something was wrong.
Laurel always signed her full name.
Laurel Anne Shaw.
These documents carried only Laurel Shaw.
He looked up.
“Did you verify these signatures?”
Pierce hesitated.
“They came through the foundation office.”
Beckett's voice dropped.
“That's not what I asked.”
Pierce said nothing.
May you like
Beckett closed the folder.
For the first time, he wondered whether the people closest to him were telling him the truth.
