Chapter 9 - The Dead CFO's Notebook
Arturo Vega had died in a highway crash outside Toledo.
The police report called it driver fatigue.
Elena never believed that explanation.
“He called me three days before,” she said. “He said he had finally traced the template to someone above Clara.”
“Above the legal director?” Álvaro asked.
Javier’s expression darkened.
There were not many people above Clara.
“Why didn’t he tell you the name?”
“He said phones weren’t safe.”
Arturo had hidden a notebook in the only place he thought nobody at Altamar would search: Alba’s old music-school locker.
Elena had never retrieved it.
“You left evidence in a child’s school?” Javier asked.
“No. Arturo did.”
At 9:15 p.m., Álvaro drove Elena and Alba to the closed music academy while outside counsel notified police financial-crimes investigators.
The building manager opened the locker.
Inside sat a red notebook wrapped in sheet music.
Most pages contained dates, vendor codes, and initials.
One page had only a diagram.
At the center: ALTAMAR.
At the top, Arturo had written a single letter.
J.
Alba looked at Javier, who had joined by secure video.
Javier didn’t flinch.
“Could mean anyone.”
Then Elena turned the page.
ARTURO: J KNOWS ELENA FOUND THE TEMPLATE.
The next line was darker, pressed hard into the paper.
J WILL SACRIFICE CLARA IF NECESSARY.
Clara’s name suddenly looked less like mastermind and more like shield.
Alba flipped to the last written page.
A list of payments ended with one recipient:
SALCEDO FAMILY OFFICE.
The amount was 3.2 million euros.
Álvaro stared at the screen.
Javier said nothing for several seconds.
Then he whispered, “That account belonged to my father.”
Elena’s face changed.
“Your father died six years ago.”
“I know.”
“Then who has been using it?”
Javier looked toward someone off-camera.
Before he could answer, the video feed cut out.
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