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Chapter 71
The former director agreed to meet Riley.His name was Edward Collins. He had managed the small storage business that appeared in the withdrawal record, although he had sold his interest in the company before it eventually closed.Beatrice arranged the meeting and sent Riley the address.Riley arrived with Daniel Mercer shortly after eleven.Edward was an elderly man with a careful manner. He greeted them, offered them seats, and placed a thin folder on the table.“I received your message about Aurelion Systems,” he began. “It's a name I haven't heard in quite some time.”“We're trying to establish what happened to some technical materials that may have passed through your company,” Riley explained.Edward opened the folder.“I remember the company. We handled storage for several businesses, mostly records, equipment, and materials that their owners didn't have room to keep.”“Do you remember a container collected from another storage facility by a man named Peter Hales?”Edward looke
Chapter 70
The storage company called Beatrice the following morning.They had located another section of the old records, but the documents were not in the same archive as the transfer register. The employee handling the search had found them in a collection of closure records kept after the second facility stopped operating.Beatrice asked him to send scanned copies.When they arrived, she called Riley.“They found a withdrawal record,” she said.Riley put aside the report he was reading.“Does it carry the container number?”“Yes. It matches the reference in the transfer register and the receiving index.”“Who collected it?”“The record gives a name, but there are details we need to verify. It lists Martin Shaw as the person who arranged the collection. The recipient field contains another name.”“Who?”“Peter Hales.”Riley wrote it down.“Was he an employee of Aurelion?”“We don't know yet. The storage company has no personnel record for him. The withdrawal form includes an identification nu
Chapter 69
The storage company sent the next set of records shortly before noon.Beatrice called Riley as soon as she had reviewed them.“They found the original register,” she said. “And it contains an entry that wasn't included in the earlier scans.”Riley stopped walking.“What does it say?”“It records a transfer between storage locations. The entry is dated several weeks after the payment we discussed.”“Does it identify the container?”“Yes. The reference is consistent with the partial number in Daniel's inventory.”Riley's expression tightened.“Where was it transferred?”“The register names another facility operated by the same storage business. The company has confirmed that the facility existed at the time, but they haven't yet located its complete intake records.”“Who authorized the transfer?”“Martin Shaw is listed as the person who requested it. But the authorization section is incomplete.”“Is there a signature?”“There is a signature beside the request. The company cannot authent
Chapter 68
The first useful answer came from the storage company on a Monday morning.It was not the answer Riley had been waiting for, but it was more than another promise to search.Beatrice called him shortly after nine.“They found the invoice connected to the payment in the ledger,” she said.Riley put down the document he had been reading. “What does it say?”“The payment was made three months after Aurelion stopped operating. It covered an outstanding storage account, but the invoice lists more than one container.”“Does it identify the contents?”“No. The description is general. It says archived business materials and equipment. There’s a container number that partially matches Daniel’s inventory, but the records don't establish that the container held the technical archive.”“Who made the payment?”“That is the interesting part. The successor company found a payment reference and a name in the old account records. They are checking whether the name belonged to the person who actually ma
Chapter 67
Riley was halfway through breakfast when Daniel Mercer called.“I found something,” Daniel said.Riley put down his cup.“Another document?”“Yes. I went through the boxes I had kept from Aurelion Systems. There was a folder I hadn't examined properly because most of its contents concerned equipment disposal. But I found a letter with Martin Shaw's name on it.”“What does it say?”“It's addressed to your father and me. Martin was asking whether the ownership dispute had been resolved and whether he could proceed with the final transfer of the technical archive.”Riley became more attentive.“Does it have a date?”“November, during the final months of the company. I'll send you a scan.”“Was there a response?”“That's the problem. I found Martin's letter, but I haven't found a reply.”Riley considered this.“Send the entire folder, not just the letter. I want to see what came before and after it.”“I'll arrange that.”“Daniel, don't remove the letter from its original position. Photogr
Chapter 66
Riley was reviewing the documents from Aurelion Systems when Beatrice called.It was still early, and he had not yet left the hospital. His father remained unconscious, but the nurses had reported no deterioration during the night.“What have you found?” Riley asked.“The storage company has located another batch of historical correspondence.”Riley straightened in his chair.“Does it mention Martin?”“Yes. His name appears in a letter written during the period when Aurelion Systems was closing. The company hasn't sent the complete collection yet, but they provided a scan of the relevant page.”“Send it to me.”“I already have.”Riley opened the message.The letter was addressed to Aurelion's former administrative office. It referred to the temporary storage of technical materials and requested clarification about who would authorize their final release.Martin Shaw's name appeared near the bottom.There was also a handwritten note indicating that the matter remained pending.Riley re
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