Chapter 6 - KYLE TALKS
Kyle talked because Mason had left him behind.
Simple motive.
Anger makes cooperation easier.
He explained the plan.
They were never supposed to hurt Owen.
Mason intended to hold him for less than six hours.
Call Spencer.
Demand one transaction.
Release child anonymously.
Kyle said:
“Mason kept saying Vale stole from his brother.”
Ryan asked:
“Did he?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why join?”
Kyle looked ashamed.
“Money.”
Twenty percent.
That was all.
Then Ryan asked about Leo.
“Did you know you had the wrong child before reaching the zoo?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you return him?”
Kyle swallowed.
“We panicked.”
There.
No grand strategy.
Bad decisions stacking.
Then:
“Mason wanted to leave him near the entrance.”
“After abducting him.”
“Yes.”
“Without telling police.”
“Yes.”
Kyle looked down.
Ryan had seen criminals construct elaborate moral distinctions around terrible acts.
We were going to give him back.
As if that erased taking him.
Then Kyle warned them.
Mason had another vehicle.
Another phone.
And one thing Spencer Vale did not know.
Caleb Burke had sent Mason financial records before his death.
Records suggesting Vale Meridian’s collapse was not simply bad investing.
Money had been transferred into:
North Crest Holdings.
Hawthorne Advisory.
SV Private Reserve.
Then into cryptocurrency.
Ryan looked at Spencer.
“SV.”
Spencer said nothing.
Kyle continued:
“Mason thinks the wallet is investor money.”
Was he right?
Maybe.
Then Daniel whispered:
“I saw those transfers.”
Emma turned.
“What?”
Daniel had been hired to find who was threatening Spencer.
During the cyber review, he discovered old wallet transaction data.
Spencer told him it was unrelated.
Daniel believed him.
Or wanted to.
Because Spencer paid well.
Emma stared at her husband.
“Your client may have stolen millions, someone threatens his child, and you bring none of that home?”
Daniel said:
“I was protecting confidentiality.”
Emma looked at sleeping Leo.
May you like
“From me?”
That question stayed unanswered.
