Chapter 7 - Samuel didn't resist.That frightened me more than if he had.
We moved him into the estate's secure office while two guards remained outside.
I stood across from him.
“Where is my granddaughter?”
He looked exhausted.
“Alive.”
“Where?”
“Closer than you think.”
“Stop speaking in riddles.”
Samuel sighed.
“I never wanted this.”
I stared at him.
“Then explain.”
He looked toward the locked door.
“Julian is not the only person they controlled.”
“Who are they?”
“Marcus Vale.”
“And Ethan?”
“Yes.”
“Vanessa?”
“Yes.”
“Anyone else?”
He lowered his eyes.
“The board.”
My jaw tightened.
“My foundation board?”
“Three members.”
“Names.”
“Arthur Bell. Helen Price. Robert Sloan.”
I knew all three.
They had been with me for years.
“Why?”
“Because the foundation was useful.”
“For stealing money?”
“For leverage.”
Samuel opened a file.
“They would move money through the foundation, then use the payments to create obligations with contractors and politicians.”
“What politicians?”
“I can't tell you.”
“You will.”
He looked at me.
“Because some of them work for the government.”
I sat down.
“How deep?”
“Deep enough to make people disappear.”
I thought of Mara.
“And Elsie?”
“They took her because she is the one thing Julian can't ignore.”
I felt my blood boil.
“Where is she?”
Samuel shook his head.
“I don't know exactly.”
I stood.
“Then you're useless.”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“I know who does.”
“Who?”
“Clara.”
I turned.
“Clara is afraid of them.”
“She isn't.”
Samuel's expression changed.
“She was working for Mara.”
“What?”
“She was never loyal to Julian.”
“Then why did Mara suspect her?”
“Because Mara suspected everyone.”
He pushed a photograph across the desk.
It showed Clara carrying Elsie.
On the back was a date.
The day Mara died.
Samuel said:
“Mara gave Clara instructions.”
“What instructions?”
“If Mara didn't return, take Elsie and hide her.”
I stared at the photograph.
“But Clara didn't.”
“She tried.”
“Then why was Elsie still with Julian?”
“Because Julian found them.”
I felt sick.
“Then he knew.”
“Yes.”
“And he still hid her.”
Samuel nodded.
“Because Marcus threatened him.”
I looked at the clock.
“We're going to the ferry terminal.”
Samuel stood.
“No.”
“What?”
“You can't go.”
“Why?”
“Because that's where they expect you.”
“That is exactly why I'm going.”
Samuel stepped closer.
“They don't want the ledger.”
“What do they want?”
“You.”
I stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because the ledger doesn't prove the theft.”
He pulled a photograph from his pocket.
“It proves ownership.”
“Ownership of what?”
He placed it on the table.
It showed a chain of corporations.
At the top was Northbridge Family Holdings.
Below it were nine shell companies.
At the bottom was the foundation.
My foundation.
And under the foundation was one final company.
Cesare Holdings.
My personal holding company.
I stared.
“I don't own that.”
Samuel shook his head.
“You did.”
“What?”
“Twenty-four years ago.”
I couldn't breathe.
My father's company had been called Cesare Holdings.
It had been dissolved before I created the foundation.
“How is it connected?”
Samuel's voice dropped.
“It was never dissolved.”
I felt a chill.
“Who owns it now?”
Samuel looked at me.
“You.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It does if someone has been using your identity.”
Then the office door opened.
Vanessa walked in.
Security grabbed her.
She didn't resist.
She looked directly at me.
“I came alone.”
“Where is Elsie?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“An old church.”
Julian stepped forward.
“Which church?”
Vanessa looked at him.
“The one Mara trusted.”
Julian froze.
“Our Lady's?”
“Yes.”
He ran.
I followed.
We reached the church twenty minutes later.
The doors were locked.
Inside, candles burned.
A stroller sat near the altar.
Empty.
My heart stopped.
On the seat was another paper flower.
This time, the stamp was black.
HP-4830.
I picked it up.
A note was attached.
WE HAVE MOVED HER.
Behind us, Vanessa whispered:
“I told you.”
I turned.
She looked frightened for the first time.
“They know I came here.”
“Who?”
“My father.”
The church doors slammed shut.
Every light went out.
Then a voice came through the speakers.
Mara's voice.
Recorded.
“If you found this, it means I failed.”
Julian began crying.
The recording continued.
“But don't trust the person standing beside you.”
The lights came back.
Everyone froze.
Vanessa looked at me.
Samuel looked at me.
Julian looked at me.
And on the altar lay a photograph.
It showed the four of us.
Taken less than an hour ago.
Someone had been watching us inside the church.
May you like
On the back of the photograph were four words.
ONE OF YOU IS NEXT.
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