Chapter 12 - The Ledger Beneath the River House)
The coordinates led to a river house Claire's family had owned before her parents died.
Adrian had visited once.
Claire hated the place.
At least that was what she told him.
The property had been abandoned for years.
Adrian informed Hayes despite Daniel's warning.
They compromised.
He would enter alone.
Police would remain beyond sight.
Adrian left Lily with Rebecca and Elena.
Elena had finally returned.
Watching Lily sleep in her arms filled Adrian with gratitude and shame.
"I should have believed you."
Elena looked at him.
"You believe me now."
"Too late."
"For some things."
She adjusted Lily's blanket.
"Not for everything."
Adrian understood.
He could not undo what Lily had experienced.
But he could decide what her life became afterward.
He drove to the river.
Daniel waited inside.
No weapon visible.
No luggage.
Just the brass key on the table.
"You told the police."
"Of course."
Daniel nodded.
"Claire would have done the same."
"Stop talking about her like you get to represent her."
Daniel accepted that.
Adrian looked around.
"Where is the ledger?"
"Under us."
The house had been built over an old flood cellar.
Daniel opened a hatch.
They descended.
At the bottom stood a waterproof safe.
The brass key fit.
Inside was a leather-bound ledger.
Names.
Dates.
Accounts.
Payments.
Dozens of families.
Millions of dollars.
Judges.
Attorneys.
Doctors.
Financial advisors.
Adrian recognized several prominent names.
At the final pages was the Mercer family.
Thomas Mercer.
Martin Bell.
Graham Voss.
Vanessa Cole.
Daniel Cross.
And another name.
ADRIAN MERCER.
Adrian stared.
"What is this?"
Daniel's face tightened.
"I don't know."
"Don't."
"I swear."
His name appeared beside a transfer of four million dollars.
The date was five years earlier.
Adrian had never seen the account.
He looked closer.
Authorization code.
Signature.
His signature.
Forged.
Again.
Daniel said, "Claire discovered they were using your company too."
Adrian's architecture firm handled multimillion-dollar construction accounts.
Someone had moved money through vendor payments.
"Who had access?"
"Your financial controller."
"Michael?"
Daniel nodded slowly.
Michael Trent had worked with Adrian for nine years.
Best man at his wedding.
Godfather to Lily.
Another Christmas guest.
Adrian almost laughed.
Claire's network kept circling closer.
A sound came from upstairs.
Daniel looked toward the hatch.
"Police?"
Adrian shook his head.
Too early.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Then a man's voice.
"Daniel."
Daniel went pale.
Graham Voss.
He had found them.
Daniel pulled Adrian behind the cellar wall.
Voss descended.
He was sixty, silver-haired, elegant.
The same man who once brought Claire flowers in the hospital after Lily was born.
He carried a gun.
"You always loved dramatic hiding places."
Daniel stepped out.
"Leave Adrian out of this."
Voss smiled.
"Adrian has never been out of this."
Adrian remained hidden.
Voss continued.
"Where is the ledger?"
"Gone."
"Liar."
Daniel said, "Claire beat you."
Voss's smile disappeared.
"Claire died."
Adrian felt rage.
Daniel kept him talking.
"Not before copying everything."
"Copies can disappear."
"Not all of them."
Voss lifted the gun.
Then Adrian's phone vibrated.
A mistake.
Voss heard it.
He turned toward the wall.
Adrian moved.
Daniel lunged.
The gun fired into the ceiling.
Adrian struck Voss's wrist.
The weapon fell.
Police stormed the cellar moments later.
Voss was arrested.
Daniel sat against the wall breathing heavily.
Adrian looked at him.
"Is this over?"
Daniel laughed without humor.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because Voss isn't the top."
"Then who is?"
Daniel looked toward the ledger.
"The person whose name Claire removed."
Adrian opened the final page again.
May you like
A rectangle had been cut from the paper.
Someone's name was missing.
