Chapter 13 - THE RED FOLDER
Malcolm escaped before security reached the nursery.
He had entered through a maintenance tunnel built during Prohibition and forgotten by everyone except the old Cross family architect.
Everyone except Malcolm, apparently.
He left the red folder behind.
Inside were copies of guardianship documents.
Fern Vale Cross.
I stared at the name.
“I never agreed to that.”
Stellan did not touch the papers. “Neither did I.”
The documents named Celeste as temporary guardian if Stellan died and I became “unavailable.”
Celeste looked horrified.
“My signature is fake.”
Daniel examined the notary stamp.
“Victor’s people have used this notary before.”
The plan became clear.
Kill Stellan.
Make me disappear.
Place Fern with Celeste under forged papers.
Then manipulate the child’s inherited voting block through Malcolm.
“He was going to use me.”
Stellan looked at his sister. “Yes.”
She covered her face.
I wanted to feel sorry for her.
Then I remembered she had told Malcolm about me.
“You gave him my existence.”
Celeste looked up. “I thought I was telling the man I loved a secret about my brother.”
“That secret became a target on my daughter.”
“I know.”
Her eyes filled but she did not ask me to forgive her.
That helped.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
Malcolm.
“Selene,” he said warmly.
“You stay away from my child.”
“I have no interest in hurting Fern.”
“Everyone says that right before they threaten her.”
He laughed.
“I want the ledger. In return, I’ll give you Victor.”
Stellan leaned close to hear.
“Why betray him?” I asked.
“Because old men confuse loyalty with ownership.”
“Where?”
“The old Union Station mail tunnel. Midnight.”
“No.”
“Then ask Stellan what happened to your father’s original testimony.”
I looked at Stellan.
His face changed.
Malcolm continued.
“Anthony Cross had it. Stellan inherited it. And somehow, Selene, he never told you.”
The line went dead.
May you like
I turned to Stellan.
“You had my father’s testimony?”
