Chapter 7 - THE NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
The $900,000 withdrawal was real.
But not stolen.
It went into an escrow account controlled by Maya’s firm.
Neftali had moved the money to prevent unauthorized closing on the North Peak deal.
Rachel had omitted that.
Maya had not told Eulalia because attorney-client confidentiality still applied until court authorization and safety concerns allowed disclosure.
Now the picture shifted again.
Neftali had been preparing for a fight.
He moved deal funds.
Recorded a warning video.
Hid his ring.
Hid his phone.
Gave Eulalia instructions.
Then why drive into the mountains?
Maya had one theory she refused to call fact.
Neftali may have intended to create a secure evidence drop at the cabin before confronting Rachel.
The steel box supported that.
So did a hardware-store receipt:
waterproof case,
battery pack,
metal screws,
and a replacement floor pry tool.
Purchased by Neftali two days before the crash.
He planned the hiding place.
Not his death.
Then another clue.
His wedding ring showed fresh scratches on the inner band where he had carved two letters:
M.S.
Maya Sloan?
No.
Eulalia remembered.
Mountain switchback.
Neftali’s father used to mark emergency trail maps with initials.
M.S. referred to Miller Spur, an abandoned forestry road behind the cabin.
Investigators searched it.
They found footprints? Too transient after days. Better: a discarded water bottle with his fingerprint.
A water bottle purchased from Neftali’s usual office vending supplier was found in an old trail shelter.
Fingerprint match.
That meant he had walked beyond the cabin after the confrontation.
Another proof he had survived the staged crash sequence longer than Rachel claimed.
Then why drive into the mountains?
A second phone record answered.
Neftali received a message from Colin Reeves:
I FOUND THE ORIGINAL TRUST AMENDMENTS. CABIN. TONIGHT.
Neftali drove toward the cabin.
His SUV later went over the ravine.
But the crash reconstruction showed something unexpected.
The driver-side airbag contained no blood evidence? Avoid forensic gore. Say biological trace? Still no gore in story maybe okay. Better: seat position.
Driver seat was set much farther forward than Neftali normally used.
Neftali was six-foot-two.
Rachel was five-six.
Colin five-nine.
The seat position fit neither conclusively.
Then ignition data.
Vehicle stopped at the cabin turnout for nineteen minutes.
Then drove again.
Then crashed.
Someone had been at the cabin.
The steel box was probably hidden during that stop.
By Neftali.
Meaning he survived at least until reaching the cabin.
May you like
After that:
unknown.
