Chương 9
“That narrows it down to half the western seaboard.”
“She was more specific.”
Adrian turned.
Daniel met his eyes.
“She believed the source was someone who understood both Cross Maritime governance and your personal habits.”
Adrian said nothing.
Ruiz asked, “Why didn’t she tell him directly?”
Daniel’s expression hardened with old frustration.
“Because Eleanor Cross knew her son.”
Adrian almost objected.
Almost.
Daniel continued.
“She thought he would confront whoever he suspected before we had proof.”
Ruiz looked at Adrian.
He disliked that too.
“She was probably right.”
Daniel’s voice softened.
“She was.”
Adrian looked away.
The admission hurt more than it should have.
His mother had trusted him with the company at thirty-one, with her medical decisions at sixty-eight, and apparently not with her fear.
He picked up a brass paperweight from the side table and set it down again.
“What did she instruct you to do?”
“Preserve the original trust instruments outside the firm and notify an independent fiduciary if any unauthorized amendment surfaced.”
“You did that?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Daniel hesitated.
Adrian stared at him.
Ruiz said, “Mr. Mercer.”
“A private document vault in Bellevue.”
“So the original trust file that disappeared from your office was not actually the legal original?”
Daniel nodded.
“It was a working certified set.”
Adrian’s anger flared.
“You just told me the original file was gone.”
“I said the original trust file.”
“That distinction is lawyer garbage.”
“It is also why the actual controlling instruments are safe.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“You let me think my mother’s documents were stolen.”
“For twelve seconds.”
“Long twelve seconds.”
“Adrian.”
“What?”
Daniel’s face tightened.
“The letter was in the office file.”
That stopped him.
“The one that vanished.”
“Yes.”
“So whoever took it has the letter.”
“Most likely.”
Ruiz said, “And now they know Eleanor Cross suspected an insider.”
“Yes.”
“They also know what trigger would cause you to involve an outside fiduciary.”
“Yes.”
Adrian’s phone vibrated again.
Everyone looked at it.
This time the message was from Simon.
POLICE WANT ME IN THE SECURITY ROOM.
CAMERA SYSTEM HAS BEEN TAMPERED WITH.
Adrian showed Ruiz.
She nodded toward Beck.
“Go.”
Beck left.
Ruiz remained seated.
“Mr. Cross, I need you to resist the urge to solve this yourself.”
Adrian almost smiled.
“That sounds personal.”
“It’s professional.”
“You’ve known me twenty minutes.”
“I’ve known your type longer.”
Daniel muttered, “She’s good.”
Adrian ignored him.
Ruiz continued.
“Someone is manipulating access records, cameras, documents, and people around you.”
“And possibly my fiancée.”
“Possibly.”
“You still think she may be involved.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because frightened people can also be complicit.”
That answer settled differently.
Adrian looked at Elena’s photograph again.
Her hands.
The red folder.
The turned face.
A woman could be trapped and guilty at the same time.
He had spent much of his career pretending those categories did not overlap.
Ruiz stood.
“We’re tracing the vehicle.”
“Can you?”
“We have plate readers, traffic cameras, dispatch contacts.”
“That wasn’t what I asked.”
She understood.
“Maybe.”
Daniel almost smiled.
Adrian did not.
“What about the call to the house?”
“We’ll pull records.”
“Distorted voice.”
“That doesn’t make it untraceable.”
“Can you locate Elena’s phone?”
“If we get the right authorization and if it’s powered and if whoever has it hasn’t done something clever.”
Adrian leaned against the desk.
“You say if a lot.”
Ruiz picked up her coat.
“That’s because people who promise certainty are usually selling something.”
Before she reached the door, Adrian said, “Detective.”
She turned.
“If they want me to sign something Sunday, they need me alive.”
Ruiz’s expression barely changed.
“That is not the reassuring conclusion you think it is.”
She left.
Daniel sank into the chair opposite Adrian.
For the first time since arriving, he looked his age.
Adrian stayed standing.
“Who knew about my mother’s letter?”
“Eleanor.”
“She’s dead.”
“Yes.”
“You.”
“Yes.”
“Anyone else?”
“The fiduciary counsel who helped set up the external vault.”
“Name.”
“Marian Holt.”
“Still practicing?”
“Retired.”
“Where?”
“Bainbridge Island.”
“Anyone at your firm?”
“My senior records partner knew there was a sealed instruction envelope, not what it contained.”
“Name.”
“Rebecca Sloan.”
Adrian looked toward the door.
“Call her.”
Daniel did not move.
“Now?”
“Yes.”
“She’s at her daughter’s wedding rehearsal.”
Adrian stared at him.
Daniel gave a tired sigh.
“Fine.”
He dialed.
No answer.
He tried again.
Voicemail.
Adrian said, “Text her.”
Daniel typed.
Three dots appeared almost immediately.
Then a message came back.
CAN’T TALK.
CALL TOMORROW.
Daniel frowned.
“That’s unlike her.”
“Why?”
“She always answers me when I mark something urgent.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
Adrian held out his hand.
Daniel passed him the phone.
Rebecca’s message looked ordinary.
Too ordinary.
“Ask if she moved the Cross file.”
Daniel typed.
The response came thirty seconds later.
NO.
HAVEN’T TOUCHED IT.
Daniel looked up.
Adrian said, “Ask what color the sealed envelope was.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
He typed again.
No answer came.
A minute passed.
Then two.
Adrian walked to the window.
The rain had eased.
Through the glass he could see guests leaving beneath umbrellas while valets hurried cars forward.
The wedding flowers remained everywhere.
White roses lined the main staircase.
Candles burned on tables that would never be used.
Someone had already covered the cake with plastic.
His phone rang.
Noah.
Adrian answered.
“Where are you?”
“Mercer Street.”
Adrian straightened.
“You went to the storage unit?”
“Yes.”
“I told nobody to go there.”
“You also didn’t tell me not to.”
“What do you see?”
“Not much.”
Noah sounded breathless.
“Some furniture, boxes, Dad’s old files.”
“Is the door damaged?”
“No.”
“Are you alone?”
A pause.
“No.”
Adrian’s voice hardened.
“Who’s with you?”
“A police officer.”
Daniel relaxed slightly.
Adrian did not.
“Why?”
“Detective Ruiz sent someone after I told her about the unit.”
Good.
Better than Noah doing exactly what Adrian himself would have done.
“Did Elena’s key work?”
“Yes.”
“Anything missing?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“What are the files?”
“Old client stuff.”
“Vance?”
“Some.”
May you like
Adrian grabbed a pen.
“Look for anything with Cross Maritime, Eleanor Cross, Daniel Mercer, or trust amendments.”
