Chapter 10 - the son with his father’s hand
Alexander pulled his hand away.
The screen remained green.
WELCOME, LUCIEN VALE.
Daniel examined the scanner.
“It may be programmed to recognize family characteristics.”
“Handprints are unique,” Seraphina said.
“Then someone registered Alexander’s print under his father’s name.”
Alexander stared at the steel door.
“When?”
“Possibly when you were a child.”
“Why?”
No one could answer.
Seraphina inserted her key into the first lock.
Alexander placed his hand on the scanner again.
Both mechanisms released.
The steel door opened.
The founder’s room contained a circular table and seven chairs.
Each chair bore the name of a Wren Circle member.
Elena Hale.
Lucien Vale.
Leonard Price.
Marcus Ashcroft.
Amelia Rowan.
Thomas Cross.
And one name that had been burned away.
Daniel touched Thomas Cross’s chair.
“My father.”
“You never told us he worked here,” Alexander said.
“I did not know.”
Daniel’s father had died when Daniel was twelve. He had been a police investigator, not a Vale employee.
At least, that was what Daniel had always believed.
A glass case stood in the center of the table.
Inside were seven metal cylinders.
Five remained.
Two spaces were empty.
The labels beneath the missing cylinders read Elena Hale and Lucien Vale.
“My mother’s cylinder may have contained the brass key,” Seraphina said.
“Or the evidence attached to her eighteen percent,” Alexander replied.
A computer terminal activated when they entered.
The screen requested seven authentication codes.
Five had already been entered.
Wren had been waiting for Elena and Lucien’s heirs.
Seraphina placed the brass key into a slot beside the terminal.
The sixth code appeared.
Alexander used the hand scanner.
The seventh appeared.
ACCESS GRANTED.
Files filled the screen.
Property records.
Bank transfers.
Names of estates absorbed by Vale institutions.
Lists of descendants who had never known they were owed fortunes.
Miriam Cole, the Vale attorney, entered with two independent auditors.
She looked at the first record and sat down.
“This could dismantle half the company.”
Alexander stood behind her.
“Then we dismantle it.”
“You have not seen the scale.”
“I have seen enough.”
“Millions of shareholders and employees could be affected.”
“People were robbed.”
“Most of those responsible are dead.”
“The families who lost everything are not.”
Miriam looked toward Seraphina.
“You control Elena Hale’s access key.”
“I am only a custodian.”
“The legal structure may give you full voting authority over eighteen percent of the Wren Trust.”
“What does Alexander control?”
Miriam entered his authentication code.
The screen displayed thirty-two percent.
Alexander’s portion was the largest.
The combined shares gave Alexander and Seraphina exactly fifty percent.
Daniel noticed another figure.
“One percent remains unassigned.”
The destroyed name on the seventh chair.
The missing member held the deciding share.
Leonard controlled fourteen percent.
Marcus Ashcroft controlled ten.
Amelia Rowan held eight.
Thomas Cross held seven.
The totals reached ninety-nine.
The final one percent could determine whether the trust released the assets or remained sealed.
“Who is Amelia Rowan?” Alexander asked.
“The head housekeeper,” Seraphina said.
Mrs. Rowan had worked at Vale Manor for more than thirty years.
She was also the person who had secretly kept the ballroom cameras active.
Daniel contacted her.
There was no response.
They searched her rooms.
Her bed had not been slept in.
Her uniforms remained in the closet, but her personal belongings were gone.
On the desk, they found a photograph of the Wren Circle.
The same image had appeared in the west wing, but this copy contained a handwritten message.
Elena, the seventh seat must never be named.
Seraphina turned the photograph over.
A second message appeared.
If Lucien returns, do not believe his face. Believe the scar beneath his left hand.
Alexander looked at his own palm.
There was no scar.
He remembered his father’s hands.
Lucien had always worn gloves during public events.
Alexander had assumed it was an affectation.
Perhaps he had been hiding something.
Daniel studied the photograph more closely.
“There are eight shadows on the wall.”
Seven people stood in the picture.
An eighth person had taken the photograph, but the angle of the shadow suggested someone else stood among them.
Someone who had later been removed from the image.
Miriam continued examining the trust files.
“There is an emergency provision.”
“What kind?” Alexander asked.
“If the Wren Trust is compromised, the majority custodian may request a dawn vote.”
“On what?”
“Whether to expose the records publicly or transfer them to an independent court.”
“Who may vote?”
“All living members or their lawful successors.”
Leonard Price still controlled his share.
Marcus Ashcroft was missing.
Beatrice may have held Lucien’s proxy.
Mrs. Rowan was gone.
Daniel may have inherited his father’s authority.
The vote could determine the future of billions of dollars.
Alexander looked at the clock.
Dawn was less than two hours away.
“Call the vote.”
Miriam hesitated.
“Once requested, it cannot be canceled.”
“Good.”
She entered the command.
A warning appeared.
DAWN VOTE INITIATED.
ALL CUSTODIANS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.
Seven lights appeared on the screen.
Six were white.
The seventh turned red.
May you like
A message followed.
THE UNNAMED CUSTODIAN HAS ACCEPTED.
