Chapter 6 - BENEATH HENRY STERLING'S GRAVE
Lucas objected immediately.
“My father would never hide something in a cemetery.”
Rosa looked at him sadly.
“You didn’t know everything about your father.”
Neither did Helena.
That was apparently the point.
At sunset, Claire, Lucas, Mason, and Rosa drove to the Sterling family mausoleum.
Henry Sterling’s name was engraved into black granite.
Mason searched the base.
Behind a removable brass plate, he found a tiny lock.
Claire inserted the key.
A compartment opened.
Inside rested a waterproof metal case.
Lucas stared at it.
“My father planned this.”
Claire lifted the lid.
There were three items.
A flash drive.
A handwritten letter.
And a sealed envelope marked FOR CLAIRE.
Her hands shook as she opened it.
Claire,
If you are reading this, then I failed to solve the problem before my death.
The child you carry will inherit more than money.
She will inherit leverage.
That makes her dangerous to people who have spent their lives believing Sterling Global belongs to them.
Trust no document presented after my death unless it carries the seal inside this box.
Trust no demand that asks you to surrender your child’s voting rights.
And most importantly, do not assume the person shouting the loudest is the person you should fear.
Claire read the final sentence twice.
Evelyn had shouted the loudest.
Which meant Henry might have been warning her about someone else.
Lucas took the second letter.
It was addressed to him.
He read silently.
His eyes filled.
“What does it say.”
Lucas handed it to Mason instead of Claire.
Mason read aloud.
“Son, you will be tempted to protect this family’s reputation.”
“Do not.”
“Protect the truth.”
Lucas turned away.
Mason inserted the flash drive into an offline laptop.
A video appeared.
Henry Sterling sat behind his office desk.
He looked weak.
But his voice remained sharp.
“If this recording has been opened, then Graham Vale has probably already begun altering my estate.”
Lucas stared at the screen.
Henry continued.
“Graham believes he understands the Sterling family better than I do.”
“He does not work alone.”
Claire leaned closer.
Henry named no accomplice.
Instead, he lifted a folder.
“The original trust documents are stored somewhere only one member of this family knows.”
The video suddenly distorted.
The final twenty seconds were corrupted.
Mason replayed them.
Nothing.
Then Rosa whispered.
“I know that folder.”
Everyone looked at her.
“I carried it into Mr. Henry’s study the night before he died.”
Lucas stepped closer.
“Who was with him.”
Rosa’s eyes filled with fear.
“Your mother.”
Claire felt the obvious conclusion forming.
Then Rosa shook her head.
“But Helena left first.”
“Someone else entered after her.”
“Who.”
Rosa swallowed.
May you like
“Lucas.”
“It was you.”
