Chapter 4 - Building 214
By sunrise, August had canceled the rest of the gala, moved Elsie into a guest suite, and assigned two female security officers outside her door.
Victoria was confined to the east wing with her phone taken away.
August called it precaution.
At seven thirty, he, Nora, Mason, and Elsie drove to an old Caldwell property on the South Side.
Building 214 had once been a neighborhood clinic funded by August's father, Henry Caldwell. It closed after a fire damaged the rear wing. August had not stepped inside since he was thirty.
Elsie held the brass key.
"You want me to do it?" August asked.
"My mom said I had to."
The lock clicked.
Metal cabinets lined one wall. A desk sat beneath a dusty lamp. Cardboard boxes were stacked to the ceiling.
On the desk rested a photograph of Caroline.
Not young Caroline.
Caroline at thirty-four.
Alive.
August sank into the chair.
Nora opened the nearest file.
"August."
The folder contained transfers from the Caldwell Children's Trust to companies that did not exist.
One signature appeared on every authorization.
Victoria Caldwell.
Marcus Vane, the foundation's chief financial officer.
Mason swore under his breath.
August kept searching.
At the bottom of the first box, Elsie found a small recorder wrapped in a dish towel.
A label read:
August pressed play.
Then Caroline's voice.
"Dad, if you're hearing this, Victoria told you I died."
August gripped the desk.
Caroline continued.
"I didn't die in that crash."
Elsie stared at the recorder.
August whispered, "Then why didn't you come home?"
The recording crackled.
May you like
"Because the person who tried to kill me was still inside our family."
Behind them, the blue door slammed shut.
