Chapter 3 - THE JEWELER’S PROMISE
The next morning, Adrian and Gabriel visited Harrow & Sons.
Mr. Harrow greeted them from behind the counter. When Adrian placed the
lighter on the velvet cloth, the old jeweler nodded.
“I remember it. Your brother used to bring it in. He was particular
about the hinge.”
“You saw James four years ago?” Adrian asked.
“No. Mrs. Cole brought it in. But your brother left something with me
before the explosion.”
Mr. Harrow unlocked a drawer and removed a yellowed envelope.
“He gave me instructions. If either of you came asking about the
lighter, I was to hand this over.”
Adrian recognized James’s handwriting.
If Adrian is asking, the truth has finally become dangerous enough to
reach him.
He opened the envelope.
Adrian,
If you’re reading this, don’t trust the report that identified my
remains. I was alive when the family announced my death. Someone wanted
the business records buried with me.
Look for the account marked NORTHSTAR in the old harbor books. The
original ledger is not at the estate.
I did not betray our family.
James.
Adrian read it twice.
“Northstar,” Gabriel murmured. “I’ve seen that name in an archived
filing.”
Mr. Harrow leaned forward. “Your brother left one more instruction. He
said the man who carried the coffin knew it was empty.”
Adrian’s blood ran cold.
“Who carried it?”
“I don’t know.”
Outside, Gabriel contacted the family archive manager. Northstar
Holdings had been closed shortly before the warehouse explosion. Its
records were moved to a storage facility owned by the Cole Foundation.
“That’s convenient,” Adrian said.
“Too convenient,” Gabriel replied.
Adrian’s phone rang. Emma was calling.
“Someone was outside Nora’s school,” she said. “A man asked whether she
still attended.”
“Bring her to the estate. Use the east entrance. Gabriel will send a
trusted driver.”
“Adrian—”
“I won’t ask you to trust me blindly. But let me protect her while we
May you like
find out who is watching.”
After a pause, Emma agreed.
