The old Mercer legal offices had been abandoned for almost fifteen years. At least, that was what the public records said. Benedict stood across the street and looked at the four-story building. The windows on the upper floors were dark, the sign above the entrance missing half its letters. But the security camera near the parking entrance was new."So much for abandoned," Serena said.Benedict nodded. "Someone is maintaining it.""Mercer Strategic Holdings?""Maybe."He checked his phone. Jonathan had sent another message. The public filing is spreading. Three news outlets have picked it up. He read the next one. Investors are asking whether Ashcroft concealed a protected beneficiary from shareholders.He locked the phone. Serena noticed. "They're turning your history into a corporate weapon.""They're trying.""Does that bother you?"Benedict looked at the building. "What bothers me is that they're using something written when I was five to damage people who had nothing to do with i

Victor was already moving before Jonathan finished speaking. "Shut down access to the trust."Jonathan answered through the phone. "I tried."Benedict looked at him. "What do you mean, you tried?""There are three authorized channels."Victor's face tightened. "Mine, Richard's, and the family trustee.""Richard is dead," Benedict said.Jonathan went quiet. Victor looked toward Benedict. "Richard's authorization was never removed.""Why?""Because he disappeared before the succession trust was reviewed.""There's another problem," Jonathan cut in.Victor closed his eyes briefly. "What?""The third authorization has been used."The room went silent. "By whom?" Benedict asked."We don't know yet."Victor walked toward his desk. "Freeze it.""I can't.""Why not?""Because whoever accessed it used a valid authorization."Benedict's expression hardened. "Whose?"Jonathan hesitated. "Samuel Ashcroft."Victor stopped. "That can't be right.""The authorization is old.""How old?""Twenty-four

The drive to the old Mercer offices took twenty minutes. Nobody spoke much. Jonathan sat in the passenger seat, scrolling through documents on his tablet, while Benedict watched the city pass through the window. Serena sat beside him, quiet since Victor's call. Finally she broke the silence."Your father was told to find his son."Benedict didn't look at her. "Yes.""Do you think he knows who his son is?"He was silent for a moment. "I don't think he knows.""But someone wants him to start looking.""Yes."Serena studied his face. "And you?""I've been looking for years."Her expression softened. "Not for a son.""No." Benedict looked out the window. "For answers."Jonathan turned around. "We're here."The old Mercer offices stood behind a chain-link fence. Unlike Mercer House, this building showed signs of recent activity, one floor lit, a delivery truck parked beside the entrance.Jonathan checked his tablet. "According to the registry, Mercer Strategic Holdings doesn't officially

The Ashcroft Foundation's legal archive was almost empty at that hour. Only the low hum of the building's ventilation system followed Benedict, Eleanor, Victor, Serena, and Jonathan as they moved through the restricted corridor.Jonathan had already arranged access. The emergency filing had been submitted electronically, but the trustee's system had flagged the attached death certificate as a historical document which meant the original, or what was being presented as the original, was stored somewhere in the Foundation's archive.Benedict stopped in front of the security door. "Who has access?"Jonathan checked his tablet. "Foundation legal officers, trustees, Victor, Eleanor, and three historical records administrators.""Names?"Jonathan gave them. Benedict recognized none of them. "Where are they now?""One retired six years ago. One died. The third hasn't worked for the Foundation in eleven years.""Yet someone accessed the archive.""Yes.""When?""Six months ago."Serena excha

For several seconds, nobody spoke. Benedict kept his eyes on Arthur. "The man who collected the instruction," he said slowly. "You said you never saw his face.""That's right.""But you remember the ring."Arthur nodded. "Silver. A divided circle.""Did he say his name?""No.""Did Magnus know him?""I don't know."Benedict studied him carefully. "You've had twenty-four years to remember this.""I have.""Why didn't you tell Victor?"Arthur gave a bitter smile. "Because Victor never asked me the right question.""What question should he have asked?"Arthur looked at the old file. "Who came for the documents."Jonathan stepped closer. "And nobody ever asked?""Not until now."Serena glanced at Benedict. The answer was frustrating, but it also mattered. For years they'd been looking at names, Richard, Samuel, Magnus, Caleb, Evelyn — assuming the person behind the altered records had to be someone whose name appeared in the documents. But the silver-ringed man had left almost no trace.