Chapter 9 - The Man Behind the Sofa
Karen entered the passage first.
Margaret followed with a flashlight. Elena remained in the library with Lily and the relatives until the investigators reached the house.
The corridor split into three directions.
One path led to the guesthouse.
One led to the underground garage.
The third had been sealed since Arthur’s death.
That door now stood open.
Karen stared into the darkness.
“Arthur closed this himself,” she said.
Margaret examined the lock.
“It was opened recently.”
They followed the third corridor.
Twenty feet ahead, voices echoed.
“You said the passage led outside,” Julian snapped.
“It does.”
“Then why is the door sealed?”
“Because someone changed the structure.”
“You told me you had Arthur’s plans.”
“I have most of them.”
Karen signaled Margaret to stop.
Daniel’s voice became lower.
“Give me the ledger.”
Julian laughed.
“You think I’m handing over the only evidence that protects me?”
“It condemns you.”
“It condemns both of us.”
“There are things inside it you do not understand.”
Karen stepped around the corner.
“Then explain them.”
Julian and Daniel turned.
Julian held the black ledger.
Daniel held a brass key.
Behind them stood an old steel door bearing Arthur Westbrook’s initials.
Karen approached slowly.
“Where did you get that key?”
Daniel closed his fist around it.
“It was my father’s.”
“Your father never entered this passage.”
“You don’t know what my father did.”
“I knew him better than anyone.”
Daniel’s face twisted.
“No, you knew the version of him that obeyed you.”
Karen stopped.
Daniel had spent his life comparing himself to the family members who came before him. She had believed his ambition was gratitude.
Now she saw the resentment beneath it.
“You helped Julian because you hated me,” she said.
“I helped him because Westbrook Holdings should have belonged to my father.”
“Your father sold his shares voluntarily.”
“He sold them because you forced him out.”
“He sold them because he lost millions gambling with company money.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“You buried that story.”
“To protect you.”
“To protect the Westbrook name.”
Karen looked at the brass key.
“Who gave you Arthur’s plans?”
Daniel smiled.
“You still believe your husband told you everything.”
Julian opened the ledger.
Several pages had been cut out.
“What is this?”
Daniel looked at him.
“Give it to me.”
“You removed pages.”
“Those pages were never part of our deal.”
Julian stepped backward.
Karen understood.
Daniel had used Julian to steal the company, but Julian had never been the final destination of the money.
“Graybridge was yours,” Karen said.
Daniel said nothing.
“The numbered account belongs to someone else.”
Julian looked between them.
“You told me Graybridge held everything.”
“It held your share.”
“My share?”
“The amount required to keep you cooperative.”
Julian lunged toward Daniel.
Margaret activated the emergency alarm.
Daniel turned the brass key inside the steel door.
The lock clicked.
Cold air rushed into the passage.
Beyond the door was a narrow tunnel leading toward the river.
Karen had never known it existed.
Daniel stepped through.
Julian grabbed his jacket.
They struggled over the ledger.
It fell open on the floor.
Karen saw columns of dates and payments written in Arthur’s handwriting.
The last visible entry had been made two weeks after Arthur’s official death.
Karen stared.
That was impossible.
Daniel kicked Julian backward and ran into the tunnel.
Margaret followed, but Karen stopped her.
“The investigators can seal the river exit.”
“What about Daniel?”
“He wants us to chase him.”
Karen picked up the ledger.
Julian sat against the wall, breathing heavily.
His arrogance was gone.
“Daniel used me,” he said.
Karen closed the ledger.
“You used my daughter.”
“He told me you planned to remove me from the company.”
“I did.”
“He said Elena would inherit everything.”
“She would have.”
Julian laughed without humor.
“So I was supposed to stand aside?”
“You were supposed to be her husband.”
Footsteps approached from the library entrance.
Two investigators appeared.
Julian raised his hands.
Before they took him away, he looked at Karen.
“You think Daniel is the worst thing inside that book.”
Karen said nothing.
May you like
Julian nodded toward the pages.
“Ask yourself why your dead husband kept paying him.”
