Chapter 6 - THE NORTHSTAR LEDGER
The storage locker was opened under the supervision of the facility
manager and Adrian’s attorney.
Inside sat a metal case, two old hard drives, and a thick ledger wrapped
in oilcloth. Gabriel checked the case before Adrian opened it.
The first pages contained ordinary payments: shipping fees, equipment
purchases, insurance expenses. Then Adrian reached the Northstar
entries.
Large transfers had been made to a chain of companies controlled by
Victor. Several payments were marked as security expenses after James’s
death.
One line was different.
PRIVATE MEDICAL CUSTODY — J.C.
Adrian read it again.
“Someone paid to keep James in a private facility,” Gabriel said.
The payments had continued for fourteen months. Then they stopped
shortly after the date Emma said James had visited her.
A second account showed rent payments for a house near the Vermont
border. The lease was signed by a company that no longer existed.
“Find the address,” Adrian ordered.
Gabriel photographed the page.
His phone vibrated. He listened, then turned serious.
“Boss, the estate’s outer camera system just went offline. Someone
accessed the control panel.”
“How long?”
“Three minutes. The backup system is active.”
“Where’s Emma?”
“With Nora in the east wing.”
“Move them to the secure apartment. No one uses the main entrance.”
They returned to the estate under escort. Emma was waiting in the
sitting room, Nora asleep against her shoulder.
“What happened?” she asked.
“Someone tried to access the cameras.”
“Victor?”
“I don’t know yet.”
Nora stirred. “Is Daddy coming?”
Adrian crouched beside her. “We’re trying to find him.”
“Mommy says we have to be patient.”
“Your mommy is right. But we won’t stop looking.”
Later, Emma joined Adrian in the study.
“James said Victor would never let him come home,” she whispered. “He
said Victor had convinced everyone he was a traitor.”
“Why didn’t he contact me secretly?”
“He tried. He sent a message through a man he trusted. The man never
came back.”
“Who?”
“Peter Voss. He worked in the family office.”
Gabriel looked up. “Peter died in a car accident six months after
James’s funeral.”
Adrian looked at the ledger.
“Another convenient death.”
Emma touched the lighter.
“James told me the repair number mattered. He said the jeweler kept
records outside the family.”
Adrian turned the lighter in his hand.
May you like
“Then it was never just a keepsake.”
“No,” Emma said. “It was a promise.”
