Chapter 9 - ISABEL'S FILE
Dominic's mother had been dead fourteen years.
Gerald was locked in the estate security room while Vincent opened Marcus's flash drive.
One folder was labeled ISABEL.
Inside were letters in Dominic's mother's handwriting.
ANTONIO -
IF YOU WILL NOT STOP USING BLACK HARBOR, I WILL.
I HAVE MOVED THE ACCOUNTS OUT OF YOUR CONTROL.
Another line froze Dominic.
MARCUS KNOWS TOO MUCH.
DOMINIC KNOWS NOTHING.
KEEP IT THAT WAY UNTIL HE IS STRONG ENOUGH TO CHOOSE WHAT KIND OF VALE HE WANTS TO BE.
Arthur sat down.
Dominic looked at him. "What did she hide from me?"
Arthur said nothing.
Gerald requested Dominic.
Dominic refused.
Then the guard added, "He says Caleb Rowan found the second ledger."
Clare looked up sharply.
"Caleb?"
Ellie tugged her sleeve.
"Blue box."
Clare stared at her. "What blue box?"
"Daddy's box under the floor."
They drove to the South Loop storage unit where Clare had left half her belongings after Caleb's death.
Beneath a broken table sat a blue carpenter's box.
Inside was a false bottom.
Under it lay a black ledger.
Routes.
Payments.
Medical shipments.
Officials.
Caleb had circled one name repeatedly:
G. PIKE.
But beside the largest transfers appeared another set of initials.
A.V.
Arthur whispered, "Not me."
Then Clare found Caleb's handwritten note.
A.V. IS NOT ARTHUR VOSS.
FIND THE BIRTH RECORD.
Folded behind it was a birth certificate.
Male child.
Adrian Vale.
Born seven months before Dominic.
Father: Antonio Vale.
Mother: blank.
May you like
Vincent went silent.
Gerald Pike's full legal name was Gerald Adrian Pike.
