Chapter 13 - THE SECOND ARCHIVE
The second archive was beneath Caroline’s childhood home.
Not digital.
Paper.
Arthur had kept original evidence there because electronic records could be altered.
Caroline had discovered it shortly before her staged death.
“Why hide this from me?” Richard asked.
“Because some of those documents have your signature.”
Richard stared at her.
“What?”
“You signed approvals without knowing what they funded.”
Richard remembered hundreds of documents from his first years as CEO.
Budgets.
Security contracts.
Consulting expenses.
Arthur had placed papers in front of him.
Richard had signed.
Trusting his father.
Caroline touched his arm.
“You didn’t know.”
“But my name is on them.”
“Yes.”
Richard sat down.
For the first time, he understood how thoroughly Arthur had used him.
Brooks said, “Then we get the archive and establish intent.”
They drove to Caroline’s abandoned childhood property.
The basement smelled of dust.
Behind a brick wall they found twelve steel boxes.
Invoices.
Letters.
Photographs.
Recordings.
Enough evidence to destroy Arthur’s network.
Then Richard heard glass break upstairs.
Daniel.
He appeared at the basement stairs holding a metal case.
“You should have stayed home, Rich.”
Richard stepped between Daniel and Caroline.
“It’s over.”
“No. It’s finally mine.”
“You’re going to prison.”
Daniel smiled.
“Only if those boxes survive.”
Richard smelled gasoline.
His eyes widened.
Daniel had soaked the upstairs floor.
Then he dropped a lighter.
Fire rushed across the doorway.
Caroline screamed.
Daniel slammed the basement door.
Richard ran up and hit it.
Locked.
Flames spread overhead.
Smoke filled the stairwell.
Caroline coughed.
“We’re trapped.”
Richard looked around the basement.
Stone walls.
Tiny windows.
One door.
Then he saw something behind the archive shelves.
A narrow wooden panel.
He pulled it open.
Behind it was a crawlspace.
And from somewhere beyond the darkness came Sophie’s voice.
“Daddy?”
May you like
Richard froze.
Sophie was supposed to be under police protection.
