Chapter 16 - The Forgotten Clue
Aaron Vale agreed to meet.
Not because he suddenly grew a conscience.
Because Richard had threatened him too.
Aaron admitted he had participated in the false paternity claim.
He had been promised two million dollars.
He received only four hundred thousand.
When he demanded the rest, Marcus Dean told him to disappear.
Nathan showed him the old photograph Charles had left.
Richard.
Charles.
Victoria.
Outside Grace’s apartment.
Aaron stared at it.
“That car.”
Nathan frowned.
“What about it?”
“My father still owns it.”
Victoria looked surprised.
“He keeps it at the old Vale estate.”
Aaron nodded.
“He never sells cars used for family business.”
Nathan remembered Grace’s call.
She said she didn’t know where she was.
But he had heard something behind her voice.
A bell.
Three slow chimes.
He had dismissed it.
Now Victoria looked up sharply.
“The old estate has a clock tower.”
Aaron nodded.
“It rings every quarter hour.”
Nathan stood.
Grace and Lily were at the old Vale estate.
Detective Reyes organized a tactical response.
But Nathan stopped her.
“If Richard sees police, he may move them.”
Reyes hated the idea.
“So what do you suggest?”
Victoria answered.
“He wants the ledger.”
Nathan looked at her.
Victoria continued.
“He thinks Nathan is still predictable.”
Grace had once told Nathan his father’s greatest weakness was believing money could solve fear.
Richard had the same weakness.
He believed Nathan would trade anything for Lily.
He was right.
But he also believed Nathan would protect the company.
That was where he was wrong.
Nathan made three copies of the ledger.
One went to police.
One went to federal investigators.
One went to a financial journalist with instructions to publish automatically at noon.
Then Nathan took the original.
Richard called at 11:38.
“Come alone.”
“I am.”
“No police.”
“No police.”
Nathan drove toward the Vale estate.
Detective Reyes’ team stayed miles away.
Victoria and Aaron remained connected through an untraceable audio line.
Nathan entered the estate at 11:57.
The old mansion smelled like dust and rain.
Richard waited in the ballroom.
Grace sat in a chair.
Her hands were restrained.
Lily was beside her.
She was crying silently.
Nathan’s heart broke.
Richard smiled.
“The ledger.”
Nathan held it up.
“Release them.”
Richard shook his head.
“First the ledger.”
Nathan looked at Grace.
She stared at him.
Then very slightly, she moved her eyes toward the ceiling.
Nathan followed her glance.
An old security camera.
A camera Richard had forgotten.
Or believed dead.
Nathan smiled.
Richard frowned.
“What is funny?”
Nathan stepped forward.
“My father left one final lesson.”
“What?”
“Never assume old systems stopped recording just because you stopped watching them.”
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Richard looked up.
For the first time, fear crossed his face.
