Chapter 6
I said, "The agreement spells it out. I'm first in line to inherit.
"So, this house is mine now.
"These cars are mine too.
"Even this coffee table belongs to me."
I pointed at the mess on the floor.
I said, "So, is there a problem if I smash my own stuff?"
"You!" Andy shouted, his face flushed with anger.
Andy's face turned bright red, furious.
The woman in the dress shrieked again, "Harding, don't get too full of yourself.
"Page, look at the troublemaker you dragged home.
"How could someone like him ever fit in with the Stevens family?"
Page stared at me, her brows furrowed.
She obviously hadn't expected me to actually do something like that.
To her, I was supposed to be on the ground like a stray dog, begging them to let me in.
"Enough."
Page finally spoke up.
"He's the designated heir in the agreement. That's the law.
"If anyone has a problem with it, take it up with the lawyer."
She walked up to me, her eyes cold as ice.
"Harding, come upstairs with me," she said.
I grabbed my duffel bag and followed her upstairs.
Behind me, I could hear a chorus of angry curses.
"This marriage is off. No way it's happening!"
"Wait till Lesley gets back. He'll deal with him!"
I didn't bother to respond.
The Stevens Estate was massive, like a real maze.
Page took me up to the third floor and stopped in front of a door.
She said, "This is your room from now on.
"Don't even think about wandering to other floors unless I say so."
She pushed the door open.
The room was spacious, furnished like a five-star hotel.
But the windows were fitted with heavy security grilles.
From the looks of it, this place felt more like a high-end prison cell.
Page said, "The marriage certificate will be handled by Eddie.
"In three days, there'll be a family-only ceremony.
"All you need to do is stay quiet and cooperate."
With that, she turned to leave.
I stopped Page in her tracks. "Wait."
"When will the 6 million dollars hit my account?"
Page stopped in her tracks and turned back, a cold smirk on her lips.
She sneered, "Already showing your true colors?"
I said it straight out, "I need money.
"I want to buy something."
"Buy what? More junk for that crappy duffel bag of yours?" she shot back.
"The truth," I replied.
I looked straight into her eyes.
Page's eyes darted for a second.
She said,"The 6 million dollars is already in your account.
"But you'd better remember, every dollar you spend gets logged by the trust.
"If you try anything funny with that money, you're on your own."
The door slammed shut behind her.
And then I heard the lock click from the outside.
I sat on the soft bed, gazing out at the darkness beyond the window.
This place was definitely more comfortable than that run-down aparment.
But I didn't feel free at all.
I pulled out my phone.
I opened up the banking app.
My balance really showed 6 million dollars.
I dialed a number.
It was an old-timer cop who'd handled my case back in the day.
He was retired now.
I said, "Hey, Duncan.
"It's me, Harding Clark."
There was a long silence on the other end.
"You're out?" Duncan Stanley finally asked.
"Yeah, got out today," I replied.
"Need something, Harding?" Duncan finally spoke.
"I want to check out the case files from that car accident ten years ago," I said.
Duncan said, his voice low, "Harding, that case is closed.
"All the evidence points to you, man. You're out of luck."
"What if I can present new evidence?" I pressed Duncan.
"What kind of evidence?" Duncan replied.
"For example, the real driver has a teardrop-shaped mole right at the corner of her left eye," I said.
I could hear Duncan breathing heavily on the other end.
Duncan's voice shook. "How do you know that?
"That mole was never in the police report back then!"
My heart dropped.
"What?" I snapped.
Duncan said, "The witness back then did mention the female driver had a teardrop-shaped mole.
"But someone tore that part of the testimony out before it ever made it to the prosecutor's office."
I gripped my phone tighter.
It was just as I thought.
I said, "Duncan, help me find that witness.
"I will offer 600 thousand dollars, as long as the witness is willing to testify."
Duncan sounded pretty shaken. "It's not about the money, Harding.
"That witness disappeared two months after the accident."
I hung up.
A cold dread settled deep in my chest.
I wondered how many dirty things Andy did to protect his daughter.
Then, I had a creepy feeling like something in the room was watching me.
I jerked my head up.
My gaze locked onto the corner of the ceiling.
There was a smoke detector.
A red indicator light was softly blinking.
A camera was tucked away up there.
Someone was watching me.