Chapter 4 - The Ledger at Beacon House)
Beacon House overlooked the harbor from a private road north of Boston.
It had belonged to Nora Calder.
Roman had not entered it since the day after her funeral.
Emma learned that only when he stopped outside the front door and did not reach for the handle.
Elias waited near the steps.
Emma stood beside Roman.
"You don't have to go in first."
Roman gave her a dry look.
"It's my sister's house."
"That wasn't what I said."
His hand tightened around the key.
Finally he opened the door.
The house smelled of dust, cedar, and the faint salt of the harbor.
Nothing had been moved.
A yellow raincoat hung from a hook near the kitchen.
Books remained stacked beside the sofa.
A ceramic bowl still held three dog biscuits that had gone hard years ago.
Roman stared at them.
"Titan used to sit here."
Emma said nothing.
"He'd wait until Nora turned around, then steal all three."
For the first time Emma heard warmth in Roman's voice without caution wrapped around it.
They searched the obvious places first.
Desk drawers.
Closets.
Bookcases.
No training ledger.
Elias checked the basement.
Emma wandered into a small back room.
Photographs covered one wall.
Nora with Titan as a puppy.
Nora wearing rubber boots, kneeling beside rescue dogs.
Nora and Roman at a charity race.
In the photograph Roman looked younger.
Less guarded.
Emma stared at it.
"You smiled."
Roman appeared behind her.
"I've heard rumors that I used to."
She glanced at him.
"Maybe Titan remembers."
Roman looked at the photograph.
"He remembers her."
Emma moved to an old wooden cabinet filled with training books.
One volume had no title on the spine.
She pulled it free.
Inside was nothing but handwritten tables.
Dates.
Animal IDs.
Payments.
Contractor names.
Roman took it.
His eyes moved quickly across the pages.
"These are foundation transfers."
"How much?"
He kept turning pages.
"At least four million."
Elias entered.
"To Northbridge?"
"Not only Northbridge."
Roman showed him the ledger.
"Three shell companies. Same payment cycle."
Emma opened another drawer.
Inside was an envelope marked ROMAN.
She handed it to him.
Roman did not open it immediately.
"She expected you to find this."
"No."
His voice was heavy.
"She expected me to listen before she had to hide it."
Emma understood the difference.
Roman opened the envelope.
There was a flash drive.
A handwritten note.
Roman,
If you are reading this, I failed to make you stop long enough to hear me.
Victor controls the security contracts.
Northbridge is not rehabilitating dogs.
They are using them to test behavioral triggers for private clients.
Some clients want guard animals.
Others want animals that can be made unstable on command.
I think someone inside Calder Global is paying them through the foundation.
Do not confront Victor alone.
I know you trust him.
That is why this is dangerous.
Nora
Roman read the last three sentences twice.
Elias stared at the floor.
Emma looked at Roman.
"You trusted him even after she died."
Roman folded the note.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because he was the one who came to the hospital."
Emma waited.
Roman looked toward the harbor windows.
"Nora's car went over an embankment during a storm. Victor arrived before I did. He stayed with me for fourteen hours."
Emma felt cold.
"Was he her security officer?"
"Sometimes."
"That night?"
Roman looked at her.
"He was supposed to be."
No one spoke.
Emma pointed to the flash drive.
"Open it."
Nora's laptop still sat on the desk, but its battery was dead.
Elias brought a computer from the SUV.
The drive contained spreadsheets, photographs, and emails.
Most confirmed the ledger.
Then Emma found a folder labeled V.
Inside were three security logs.
The final one was dated the night Nora died.
Roman leaned closer.
Nora's vehicle had left Beacon House at 8:42 p.m.
Victor's assigned vehicle had followed at 8:45.
Official records claimed Victor had remained at Calder headquarters until 10:10.
Roman stared.
Elias whispered, "That's impossible."
Roman's face emptied.
Emma opened another file.
A photograph appeared.
It showed Victor standing beside Nora's car earlier that same evening.
He was crouched near the front wheel.
The image had been taken by Beacon House's exterior camera.
Roman did not move.
"This doesn't prove anything," Elias said carefully.
"No," Roman replied.
"But it proves he lied."
A phone rang.
Roman's.
Unknown number.
He answered without speaking.
Victor's voice filled the room.
"You should have left the dead alone."
Roman's expression became stone.
"Where are the dogs?"
Victor laughed softly.
"Still asking the wrong question."
"What question should I ask?"
"Why Titan ran to that store."
Emma looked up.
Roman's eyes moved toward her.
Victor continued.
"You think he escaped by accident?"
Roman said nothing.
"He was released."
"By whom?"
"Ask the woman standing beside you."
Emma's breath caught.
Roman stared at her.
Victor laughed again.
"Didn't she tell you?"
The call ended.
Emma shook her head.
"I've never seen Titan before last night."
Roman did not answer immediately.
Elias looked between them.
Emma's voice sharpened.
"If you believe him, say it."
Roman looked down at Nora's note.
Do not confront Victor alone.
I know you trust him.
That is why this is dangerous.
Then he looked at Emma.
"No."
"What?"
"I don't believe him."
Emma's shoulders loosened slightly.
Roman held up the phone.
"But he wanted me to."
Elias's phone buzzed.
He read the message.
His face changed.
"Sir."
Roman turned.
"What?"
"The Boston police just received an anonymous report."
"About?"
Elias looked at Emma.
"Animal theft."
Emma already knew.
Elias continued.
"Victor claims Emma Reed stole Titan Calder and is demanding five hundred thousand dollars for his return."
Roman's expression hardened.
Emma almost laughed.
"That's his plan?"
Elias shook his head.
"No."
He turned the screen around.
May you like
"The report was filed yesterday afternoon."
Hours before Titan ever entered Emma's store.
