Chapter 14 - WHAT SURVIVED THE FIRE
The fire destroyed half the underground archive.
Pike disappeared.
The news called it an electrical accident before firefighters had even left the building.
Adrian knew exactly what that meant.
Pike still had people everywhere.
Victoria spent the night in the hospital with smoke inhalation.
For a long time, neither spoke.
Finally Victoria whispered, "You saved me."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I am not you."
The words hurt.
They were supposed to.
Emma arrived with Noah asleep in a stroller.
She carried the burned charter in a plastic evidence sleeve.
"The signature section survived."
Adrian stood.
But Charles Walker's handwritten amendment was readable.
Upon proof of founding fraud, control shall pass to the injured heirs and an independent restitution trust.
Gabriel entered behind her.
"There is more."
He had recovered an audio recorder from Charles's old cabinet before the fire spread.
The final recording was dated the night before Charles died.
"Harrison knows I am meeting investigators tomorrow."
Martin Shaw.
"Then don't drive your usual car."
"You think he would sabotage it?"
"I think Mr. Pike has done worse."
Adrian stared at the recorder.
"Shaw warned him."
"Which means Shaw was not always Pike's man."
"Pike owned him after the crash."
Adrian frowned.
"How?"
"Shaw had gambling debts."
"Pike paid them."
Emma looked disgusted.
"So he bought him."
"Just like he bought me with fear."
"Do not compare yourself to Shaw. You had choices."
"I know."
The admission surprised him.
He looked at Victoria.
She held out a hand.
He reached for Emma instead.
Noah whispered, "Red song."
Emma frowned.
"What red song?"
Noah began humming Celeste's lullaby again.
Then he added words none of them had heard before.
"Red bird sleeps behind Mommy picture."
Adrian stood so fast his chair fell over.
May you like
There was one portrait of Celeste still hanging in the mansion.
And behind it, Victoria suddenly remembered, was a wall safe no one had opened in years.
