Chapter 3 - DON’T TRUST BELLGRAVE
Alexander watched the video twice.
Then a third time.
His expression revealed nothing.
Leah wished hers could do the same.
Martin Crane had been her boss for four years.
He was selfish.
Difficult.
Obsessed with money.
But she had never seen him afraid.
Not like that.
Alexander handed her phone back.
“When was this sent?”
“Just now.”
His chief of staff checked the metadata.
“Uploaded through an encrypted relay.”
“Trace it.”
“We’re trying.”
Alexander looked at Leah.
“What exactly did Martin know?”
“I don’t know.”
“That isn’t good enough.”
Leah stiffened.
“Excuse me?”
“You worked with him for four years.”
“That doesn’t mean he confessed crimes over coffee.”
Alexander’s mother watched them silently.
Alexander took a breath.
“You’re right.”
Leah hadn’t expected that.
He continued.
“But someone believes you know something.”
“I heard one argument.”
“Maybe you saw something without realizing it.”
Leah folded her arms.
“Like what?”
“Invoices.”
“Hundreds.”
“Guest lists.”
“Thousands.”
“Payments.”
Leah paused.
Alexander noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Leah.”
She looked at him.
“There was a vendor.”
“What vendor?”
“Northbridge Consulting.”
Alexander’s chief of staff immediately looked up.
“I know that name.”
Alexander turned.
“Why?”
“It appears on three of the transfers.”
Leah felt a chill.
She continued.
“Brightwell paid them almost every month.”
“For what?”
“I never knew.”
“You processed the payments?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
Leah hesitated.
“Martin.”
Alexander’s mother leaned forward.
“Did you ever see an address?”
Leah thought.
Then nodded.
“Yes.”
Alexander stepped closer.
“Where?”
Leah closed her eyes.
She had typed it dozens of times.
Northbridge Consulting.
Suite 410.
14 Mercer Street.
She opened her eyes.
“Fourteen Mercer Street.”
Alexander’s chief of staff stared at her.
“What?”
“That building was demolished three years ago.”
Leah felt her skin crawl.
“So the company doesn’t exist?”
Alexander answered.
“It exists on paper.”
His mother sighed.
“A shell company.”
Leah looked at the transfer sheets.
“How much went there?”
Alexander checked.
“Six million.”
The number made Leah dizzy.
“Six million dollars went to an address that doesn’t exist?”
“Yes.”
“And nobody noticed?”
Alexander’s mother answered.
“Someone noticed.”
She tapped the envelope.
“That’s why they tried to stop me.”
Leah looked toward the ballroom doors.
Vanessa’s furious face flashed through her mind.
“Then Vanessa knows.”
Alexander’s expression hardened.
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
“We don’t accuse people without evidence.”
“She tried to hit your mother.”
“That proves arrogance.”
He looked at the documents.
“Not theft.”
Leah hated that he was right.
A security officer approached.
“Mr. Bellgrave.”
Alexander turned.
“We found something.”
“What?”
“Ms. Sterling never left the property.”
Everyone looked toward him.
Alexander’s eyes narrowed.
“Where is she?”
“We don’t know.”
“You escorted her out.”
“Yes.”
“Then how is she still here?”
The officer looked uncomfortable.
“The east gate camera shows the car leaving.”
“So?”
“But facial recognition indicates Ms. Sterling wasn’t inside.”
Leah felt her pulse quicken.
“She switched places with someone.”
Alexander nodded.
“Apparently.”
His mother looked toward the staircase.
“Why stay?”
Nobody answered.
Then Leah understood.
“The envelope.”
Alexander looked at her.
“She knows your mother has evidence.”
His mother nodded.
“And she knows I brought it here.”
Alexander immediately addressed security.
“Seal every exit.”
The ballroom doors closed.
Guests began murmuring.
Alexander continued.
“No one leaves until Vanessa Sterling is found.”
Leah looked around the enormous palace.
Hundreds of rooms.
Service corridors.
Wine cellars.
Private apartments.
Underground tunnels dating back centuries.
Vanessa could be anywhere.
Then the lights went out.
The ballroom disappeared into darkness.
Someone screamed.
Glass shattered.
Leah heard running footsteps.
Then Alexander’s mother cried out.
“Leah!”
Leah lunged toward the wheelchair.
Her hands found empty space.
“Mrs. Bellgrave?”
Nothing.
Emergency lights flickered on.
Leah froze.
The wheelchair was empty.
Alexander stared at it.
His mother was gone.
And lying across the seat was a single handwritten note.
Alexander picked it up.
May you like
Four words.
GIVE US THE ENVELOPE.
