Chapter 5 - WHY DANIEL'S LICENSE MATTERED
Daniel’s driving record explained the panic.
Two years earlier, he received a reckless-driving conviction after a crash.
Claire knew about the crash.
Not the conviction details.
Then six months before Marcus Reed was hit, Daniel had been cited for driving while his license was administratively suspended over insurance and court compliance issues.
He resolved part.
Not all.
The night of the collision, his driving privilege was restricted.
If police proved he drove after drinking and fled a serious-injury crash, consequences would be severe.
But that still did not explain Marcus.
Then Harris found the connection.
Marcus Reed had been chief financial controller at Daniel’s construction company, Bennett Development Services.
He resigned three months earlier.
Why?
Daniel told everyone Marcus had manipulated invoices.
Marcus told a different story.
He had accused Daniel of routing company money through subcontractors owned by Lorraine’s brother.
Amount:
approximately $480,000 over three years.
Not necessarily theft.
Could be legitimate vendors.
Marcus believed invoices were inflated.
He copied records before resigning.
Daniel threatened litigation.
Then one week before the crash, Marcus emailed Daniel:
WE NEED TO TALK BEFORE I GO TO THE BOARD.
Claire stared at the email.
“What board?”
Daniel’s company had two minority investors.
Marcus planned to show them something.
Then Harris said:
“Marcus had a meeting scheduled the night he was hit.”
“With who?”
Harris looked at Claire.
“You.”
Claire froze.
“I never scheduled anything.”
Marcus’s calendar said:
C. BENNETT — 10:30 — QUARRY LOT.
Claire stared.
The quarry entrance.
Same location where Daniel hit him.
Someone had arranged a meeting in Claire’s name.
Now the case changed again.
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If Daniel lured Marcus there using Claire’s identity, the collision might not be an accident.
Or someone wanted it to look that way.
