Chapter 4
The search of Kendra Shaw’s room produced a laptop, two prepaid phones, copies of Ava’s trust documents, Grant’s travel schedule, internal emails about the East River acquisition, and photographs of the home’s security panels.
There was also a printed copy of Whitmore Development’s kidnap-and-ransom insurance policy.
Only six people in Grant’s company had authorized access to that policy.
Kendra was not one of them.
At 3:12 a.m., the detective brought Grant to a small family consultation room.
Maya remained with Noah.
Julian sat beside Grant.
The detective placed a tablet on the table.
“We recovered deleted footage from the local security backup.”
Grant looked at the frozen image.
It showed the hallway outside his home office.
Noah stood near the door, holding Kendra’s phone.
The timestamp was three weeks earlier.
The video began.
Noah entered the office.
Grant sat behind his desk, speaking into a headset while reviewing a contract. Kendra followed, one hand pressed dramatically to her chest.
“Mr. Whitmore, I’m sorry. He took my phone again.”
Noah held the device out.
“She took pictures.”
Grant muted his call.
“Noah, give it back.”
“She took pictures of Ava’s papers.”
Kendra shook her head, tears forming instantly.
“I was sending Marissa an update. He doesn’t like when I’m with the baby.”
Noah moved closer to the desk.
“Look at the pictures.”
Grant did not take the phone.
“Noah, we’ve discussed boundaries.”
“She’s lying.”
“Enough.”
“She wants to take Ava.”
The image of Grant stood.
“Your sister is not a weapon you can use because you’re angry.”
Noah’s face went still.
“I’m not lying.”
“You’ve said enough.”
Kendra took the phone from his hand.
As she guided him from the room, she placed her hand on his shoulder.
The recovered footage had no sound after that point, but the image was clear.
Her fingers dug into the exact place where Noah now had a bruise.
Grant stopped the video.
“There’s more,” the detective said.
“I don’t need more.”
May you like
“Yes, you do.”
The next clip showed Noah pointing toward a camera in the kitchen while Kendra stood behind him. Another showed him slipping a folded paper beneath Grant’s office door. A third showed Grant’s assistant throwing the paper away with junk mail.
