Chapter 2 - THE CALL HE RECORDED
The Lamborghini stopped thirty feet before the intersection.
Not smoothly.
Not safely.
But before impact.
Derek sat behind the wheel shaking.
Drivers screamed at him.
A truck passed through the intersection.
He stared at the red light.
Then at his phone.
Still recording.
He had recorded the entire call.
Samantha heard from police before she heard from Derek.
Two officers arrived at Carter Performance.
“Ms. Carter?”
“Yes.”
“We need to speak with you about an incident involving your husband.”
“Ex-husband.”
“Not legally yet.”
Fair.
They played part of the recording.
Derek:
THE BRAKES AREN’T WORKING!
Samantha:
I know.
Then:
Two million dollars. Transfer it, and I activate the brakes.
Hearing her own voice made Samantha feel sick.
One officer asked:
“Did you disable the brakes?”
“No.”
“Did you know the car had a brake problem?”
“I saw the alert when he left.”
“You gave him the key anyway.”
“I saw the detailed alert after.”
“Did you control the remote stop system?”
“I had owner access.”
“Did you delay it until he transferred money?”
Samantha paused.
That pause hurt her.
“No.”
The officer looked at her.
“I requested the emergency stop before I asked for the money.”
“Can you prove that?”
“Yes.”
She hoped.
Then Derek entered with his attorney.
Not injured.
Angry.
Alive.
He stared at Samantha.
“You tried to kill me.”
“No.”
“You knew.”
“I knew there was a fault after you drove away.”
“You said, ‘I know.’”
“Because by then I did.”
His attorney interrupted.
“Do not speak to her.”
Derek ignored him.
“You held my life for two million dollars.”
Samantha stepped closer.
“You stole two million dollars.”
His expression flickered.
Tiny.
But she saw it.
Then he laughed.
“From my own company?”
“It is not your company.”
“There she is.”
He turned toward the officers.
“That’s what this is about. Control.”
Samantha wanted to hit him.
Instead she said:
“Blackridge Automotive Partners.”
Derek stopped.
Only for a fraction of a second.
Enough.
“The transfer came from Blackridge.”
His attorney immediately said:
“No further questions.”
Derek’s face became unreadable.
Then Samantha’s lawyer called.
“Sam, don’t say another word.”
“Why?”
“Because Derek just filed an emergency petition.”
“For what?”
“Temporary control of Carter Performance.”
Samantha stared.
Naomi continued.
“He says you attempted to murder him during a corporate dispute.”
May you like
Derek had survived the intersection.
And already, he was using it.
