Chapter 13 - ELENA'S LODGE
Snow had started falling when we reached the Vermont lodge.
The front door was open.
No Martin.
No pilot.
Only a fire burning low in the stone fireplace.
Torres searched the rooms.
I went upstairs.
Elena's old bedroom still smelled faintly of cedar.
Then I saw scratches beneath the window seat.
A loose board.
Inside was a metal document tube.
FOR DOMINIC - WHEN YOU ARE READY TO HEAR IT.
My knees almost gave out.
Inside were copies of contracts, payment records, and one audio recorder.
I pressed play.
Elena's voice filled the room.
"Dominic, your father is protecting Martin Vale."
"He knows Martin has been stealing from the company. He also knows Martin has been paying private security to follow me."
A pause.
"I don't think Vittorio wants me dead. I think he wants me quiet. I'm not sure Martin knows the difference."
"If something happens, protect Ethan from the succession documents. Martin wrote them. Luca is the bait."
Luca was innocent of the plan.
Reckless.
Messy.
But bait.
Then Elena said something I did not expect.
"Vincent helped me copy the files."
He was standing in the doorway.
His face collapsed.
"You knew about this?"
"Part of it."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Your father made me swear after she died."
"You're still blaming him?"
"No. I'm blaming myself."
The recorder continued.
"There's a backup ledger in the city. Sophia Carter's husband has the access key."
Sophia's husband, Daniel, had died two years earlier in what everyone called a construction accident.
I called Sophia.
She went silent when I said Daniel's name.
"He worked in security systems before we married."
"Did Elena know him?"
"Yes."
"Did he leave you a key?"
Sophia whispered, "He left me a bank envelope I never opened."
Before she could say more, gunfire cracked outside the lodge.
A window exploded.
Torres dragged me down.
Then a voice shouted from outside.
"Dominic!"
May you like
Martin Vale.
"Bring me Elena's recorder or I burn the ledger!"
