Chapter 15 - MONACO
Camila disappeared before the investor meeting ended.
Her hotel room was empty.
Her clothes were gone.
The penthouse safe had been opened.
Julian claimed he knew nothing.
Elena did not believe him.
Security footage showed Camila leaving through a service entrance and entering a black sedan.
She carried one suitcase.
And a silver document case.
Margaret froze the footage.
“That case came from the hidden room.”
Adrian confirmed it.
Julian kept sensitive overseas records inside cases like that.
Elena remembered Camila’s message.
The Monaco file.
By midnight, investigators identified a company registered through European intermediaries.
Bellatrix Management SA.
Its directors appeared unrelated to Julian.
But payments told another story.
Money from Cedar Lane Consulting had moved through three entities before arriving at Bellatrix-controlled accounts.
Another stream came from supplier rebates.
Another from consulting fees.
Together, more than nine million dollars had traveled outside Meridian Crown’s normal books.
Elena stared at the numbers.
Thomas stood beside her.
“This isn’t just Julian.”
She nodded.
There were too many layers.
Too much planning.
Someone with experience had designed the structure.
Margaret began tracing law firms and accountants.
One name kept appearing.
Robert Kessler.
Julian’s private attorney.
At 1:20 a.m., Kessler’s phone went offline.
At 1:36, his assistant reported he had left his home with luggage.
At 1:52, investigators learned a private aircraft had filed a flight plan for Montreal.
Thomas looked at Elena.
“He’s running.”
Elena shook her head.
“He’s moving.”
“What’s the difference?”
“People run when they’re afraid.”
She looked at the transaction map.
“Kessler knows where the money is.”
Meanwhile, Julian had been restricted to a guest suite while his legal status was reviewed.
He paced beside the window.
His company phone was useless.
His accounts were limited.
His attorney was not answering.
Camila was gone.
For the first time, Julian had nobody left to order.
Then the room phone rang.
He answered.
Camila’s voice came through.
“Did they find Bellatrix?”
“Where are you?”
“That’s not important.”
“Where are you?”
“Julian, listen to me.”
He stopped pacing.
“Kessler is leaving.”
“I know.”
“He took the original agreements.”
Julian closed his eyes.
“What did you take?”
There was silence.
“Camila.”
“I took insurance.”
His grip tightened.
“What insurance?”
“The thing you should have kept away from me.”
Julian’s voice became quiet.
“If you give that to Elena—”
Camila interrupted.
“I’m already on my way to see her.”
The line went dead.
Julian stood perfectly still.
Then he did something Elena had not predicted.
He picked up another phone.
May you like
And called the police himself.
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