Chapter 8 - The Real Owner of LauraThe Woman Behind the Restaurant

The underground passage led beneath three city blocks.

I didn't ask how Roman knew it existed.

At that point, I was afraid of the answers.

We emerged into an old maintenance tunnel beneath another building.

Roman's men secured the entrance.

Then Roman looked at me.

"You need to know what Laura really is."

"I thought it was a restaurant."

"It's a meeting place."

"For what?"

"For people who don't want their names recorded."

He explained that Laura had been purchased years ago by a holding company.

That holding company was controlled by Vale Development.

But the restaurant's books had never matched its actual business.

Large cash transactions.

Private rooms.

Off-the-record meetings.

Payments to politicians.

And David had controlled everything.

"So you knew he was corrupt."

"I suspected."

"But you let him fire me."

"I didn't know he was watching you."

"Why was he?"

Roman hesitated.

"Because your son was connected to a trust."

My mouth went dry.

"What trust?"

"A trust worth sixty million dollars."

I stared.

"For Leo?"

"Established by Ethan."

"Why?"

"Because Ethan believed someone would try to take control of his inheritance."

I looked at Leo.

He was asleep again.

"He left sixty million dollars to a five-year-old?"

"He left more than money."

Roman pulled out another document.

A trust agreement.

The beneficiary was listed as:

LEONARD BENNETT VALE.

I looked at Roman.

"That's Leo."

Roman nodded.

"But how?"

"I don't know."

Then I saw the signature.

Ethan Vale.

And beneath it was another name.

Martha Vale.

Roman's mother.

"She co-signed."

"Yes."

"Then why would she try to take Leo?"

Roman's expression darkened.

"Because the trust can only be accessed by the child when he turns eighteen."

"What happens before that?"

"An appointed guardian controls the assets."

"And who is the guardian?"

Roman didn't answer.

I grabbed the document.

There it was.

Guardian:

David Kesler.

My former manager.

I felt sick.

David had been watching us because he had control over Leo's fortune.

But there was something worse.

The final clause said the guardian could access the trust if the child was declared legally incapacitated.

Roman read it.

"That clause was added after Ethan signed."

"By who?"

His face changed.

"My mother."

I looked at him.

"Then everything goes back to her."

"Not everything."

Roman pointed at the final page.

There was another handwritten note.

One I hadn't noticed.

Signed by Ethan.

Protect Megan at all costs.

Roman looked at me.

His voice softened.

"I never knew you existed."

"Apparently Ethan did."

"Yes."

I stared at the words.

Why would Ethan write that?

Unless he had known exactly what was coming.

Then a man from security entered.

"Mr. Vale."

"What?"

"We intercepted a vehicle leaving your mother's estate."

"Who was inside?"

"Your mother."

I stood.

"She's alive."

Roman nodded.

"Where are they taking her?"

The security officer hesitated.

"To Laura."

My stomach dropped.

"Why Laura?"

Roman slowly looked at me.

"Because she wants to open the vault."

"What vault?"

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He answered in a whisper.

"The vault beneath the restaurant."