Chapter 2 - The Ledger in Elena’s Desk
An ambulance arrived within twelve minutes.
Mia refused to leave until Harper was allowed to ride with her.
The child sat beside the stretcher holding her mother’s hand.
Dominic followed in another vehicle.
Claire remained at the mansion under guard.
She had not been arrested yet.
But Detective Serena Holt was already driving toward the estate.
At the hospital, doctors found that Mia was severely dehydrated.
She had a concussion, two cracked ribs, and deep marks around both wrists.
Someone had tied her hands before placing her inside the room.
The injuries did not match Claire’s claim that Mia had accidentally locked herself in.
Dominic stood near the hospital window while Detective Holt questioned Mia.
Harper slept in a chair beside the bed with her head against her mother’s arm.
“Start with the ledger,” Serena said.
Mia closed her eyes.
“Mrs. Vale’s study was being emptied for renovation.”
“Claire ordered me to pack the drawers.”
“Elena’s study?” Dominic asked.
“Yes.”
“No one has used that room since she died.”
“That is why Claire chose it.”
Dominic felt an old pressure beneath his ribs.
He had kept Elena’s study closed because entering it felt like betrayal.
Claire had repeatedly suggested remodeling the room.
He had finally agreed during his business trip.
Mia continued.
“The bottom drawer of the writing desk would not close.”
“I pulled it out.”
“There was a hidden compartment underneath.”
“Inside was a black leather ledger.”
“What was written in it?” Serena asked.
“Company names.”
“Dates.”
“Payments.”
“Some were connected to the Elena Vale Children’s Foundation.”
Dominic frowned.
“Nathan supervised that foundation after Elena died.”
“I know.”
“That is why his name frightened me.”
Mia described large payments sent to consulting companies that did not appear to exist.
One company belonged to Nathan.
Another belonged to Claire’s brother.
A third paid a mechanic named Victor Shaw three days before Elena’s crash.
Beside the payment were four handwritten words.
Mountain route confirmed Tuesday night.
Elena had died on a Tuesday.
Dominic looked toward the floor.
“Why did Elena have the ledger?”
“I think she was collecting evidence.”
“Some pages were in her handwriting.”
“Others were written by someone else.”
“What happened when Claire found you?” Serena asked.
“She locked the study door.”
“She asked what I had discovered.”
“I said it was an old household record.”
“She knew I was lying.”
Mia touched the bandage above her eyebrow.
“She tried to take it.”
“I ran downstairs.”
“She struck me from behind.”
“With what?”
“I did not see.”
“When I woke up, my hands were tied.”
“Claire was standing beside Nathan.”
Dominic looked up sharply.
“You saw Nathan inside the mansion?”
“I heard him first.”
“He said the ledger had to be found before you returned.”
“He asked whether I had copied anything.”
“Did you?”
Mia looked at Harper.
“I tore out one page.”
“I hid it in her stuffed rabbit.”
Dominic glanced toward the chair.
Harper’s rabbit was missing.
The child woke when Mia moved.
She rubbed her eyes.
“Where is Bunny?” Mia asked.
Harper’s lower lip trembled.
“The wolf man cut her.”
“When?”
“The first night.”
Harper said Nathan had entered her bedroom after midnight.
He told her Mia had left because she no longer wanted to be a mother.
Harper refused to believe him.
Nathan took the stuffed rabbit and cut open its stomach.
He found the page.
But he did not find the black key.
“Where did the key come from?” Dominic asked.
Harper looked toward Mia.
Mia answered.
“It was inside the ledger compartment.”
“I gave it to Harper before Claire caught me.”
“Why?”
“Because Claire never noticed children unless she was angry at them.”
Dominic lowered his eyes.
Another warning he had failed to see.
Serena asked Harper what Nathan had said after finding the page.
The child thought carefully.
“He told Claire the road worked once.”
“He said it could work again.”
Dominic’s skin turned cold.
“Who was he talking about?”
Harper pointed at him.
“You.”
The hospital room became silent.
Nathan had not only helped kill Elena.
He was planning another accident.
This time, Dominic was the target.
Lucas entered the room carrying a tablet.
“Nathan’s home is empty.”
“His phone is disabled.”
“His aircraft left Westchester two hours ago.”
“Destination?”
“It filed for Toronto.”
“But the plane changed direction over Pennsylvania.”
“Where is it now?”
“We lost the signal.”
Dominic stared through the hospital window.
Nathan had known they would find Mia.
He had already begun running.
Then Serena’s phone rang.
She listened for several seconds.
Her expression hardened.
“Claire escaped the estate.”
“How?”
“She attacked one of the guards.”
“She took a service vehicle.”
Dominic looked toward Harper’s black key.
Two people were running.
May you like
One secret remained locked.
And somewhere inside the Vale empire, Nathan had prepared a road that was supposed to kill Dominic before he reached it.
