Chapter 3 - The Hidden Ledger-3
Detective Miller led Rowan into a private consultation room adjacent to the pediatric ward, leaving Officer Vance to guard Micah and the recovering Elsie, who was now hooked up to an IV drip in a secure room.
"Mr. Mercer, we need to talk about Arthur Vance—your late father-in-law," Miller said, laying several printed mugshots on the laminate table. "Did Delaney ever talk to you about her father's work at Brushy Mountain in the late 1990s?"
"Arthur died five years ago from lung cancer," Rowan said, shaking his head. "He was a quiet, stern guy. Worked as a captain of the guards. Delaney adored him. He left her a small life insurance policy and his old hunting cabin near Percy Priest Lake. That’s it."
Detective Miller slid one of the mugshots forward. The photo showed a haggard-looking man in his late fifties with a thick, jagged scar running from his ear down to his collarbone.
"This is Victor 'The Weaver' Vance—no relation to Officer Vance," Miller explained. "Thirty years ago, Victor was a high-ranking lieutenant in an interstate armed robbery ring. In 1998, his crew hit an armored transport carrying four million dollars in untraceable cash outside Memphis. Three guards were killed. Victor was caught, but the cash vanished."
Rowan’s jaw dropped. "What does that have to do with Arthur or Delaney?"
"Arthur Vance was the lead officer in charge of Victor’s high-security cell block at Brushy Mountain," Miller continued, leaning forward. "Six months before Arthur retired, Victor suffered a suspicious 'accident' in the prison laundry room and spent two years in a coma before being transferred to a state medical facility. Three weeks ago, Victor woke up. And four days ago, he walked out of that facility after his legal team secured an emergency medical release."
Rowan stood up so fast his chair rattled against the floor. "You think Arthur took the stolen money from that prison? You think my late father-in-law was corrupt?"
"I think Victor Vance believes Arthur hid that four million dollars somewhere before he died," Miller said coldly. "And Victor thinks Delaney knows where it is."
Rowan remembered the cryptic text message: PAY THE BOND OR THE CHILDREN FLUSH.
"It wasn't a ransom for Delaney," Rowan gasped, the terrifying realization hitting him like a freight train. "Victor didn't know I was bringing the police into this! He thinks Delaney was holding out on him. He left the kids locked in that house as leverage to force Delaney to give up the money!"
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Before Detective Miller could respond, Rowan’s phone chimed again. A second text message arrived from the same encrypted contact:
Ten minutes, Rowan. The records room at the Old County Courthouse. Come alone, or Delaney’s body goes into the river.
