Chapter 13 - Thomas Comes Back
Daniel stood when he entered.
"Where have you been?"
Thomas looked at Evan first.
"Running from people your father should have exposed twenty years ago."
Agents searched him and brought him into an interview room.
Thomas admitted he had hidden records after Robert's death.
He also admitted changing the foundation succession documents.
Daniel stared at him.
"You made Patricia trustee?"
"Robert told me to."
"Why?"
"Because he thought she was helping Martin expose William."
Thomas had learned too late that Patricia was not cleaning up her husband's crimes.
She was inheriting them.
Martin Keene had indeed accepted money from William and helped route patent sales. Later, guilt consumed him. He began collecting evidence.
Patricia discovered the royalty network could be worth hundreds of millions over time.
Instead of exposing it, she took control.
"And Dad?"
"Robert figured it out before he died."
"Why didn't he tell me?"
Thomas looked ashamed.
"He wanted proof first. He always wanted one more piece of proof."
Thomas slid a small notebook across the table.
Martin Keene's handwriting filled the pages.
Vanessa recognized it immediately.
Her father had documented meetings, account numbers, and one repeated phrase.
C.L.S. MIRROR.
Daniel frowned.
"Catherine Lily Stellan."
Thomas nodded.
"Your mother created a duplicate archive before she died."
"Where?"
"Nobody knows."
Then Vanessa found a line near the back.
BLUE ROOM. LITTLE STAR. 3-1-7.
She looked at Daniel.
"Does that mean anything?"
It did.
Daniel's childhood bedroom had been blue.
His mother called him Little Star.
And 317 was the address of the house where he grew up.
The Stellan family had sold it twenty years ago.
Daniel reached for his phone.
Evan stopped him.
"Who owns it now?"
Daniel searched the property record.
May you like
The buyer name appeared.
PATRICIA MONROE.
