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CHAPTER 137: THE WITNESS WHO CAME BACK
Clara looked smaller than Richard remembered.When he entered the hospital room, she was sitting against two pillows with a blanket covering her legs. A nurse had placed a cup of water beside her bed. Her face was pale, and a faint bruise ran along her cheek.Eleanor sat beside her, holding her hand.The older woman's eyes were red.Richard stopped at the doorway.“Clara?”Clara turned.For a moment, she only stared at him.Then her lower lip trembled.“You came.”Richard walked toward the bed.“Of course I came.”Her eyes filled.“I thought they would keep me there until you gave them everything.”Richard pulled a chair closer.“You're safe now.”Clara looked at Eleanor.“Am I?”Eleanor squeezed her hand.“Yes, my dear. You're safe.”Clara's shoulders shook. She tried to wipe her face, but her hand trembled too much.Sophia stepped forward and gently passed her a tissue.“Don't force yourself to talk,” she said.Clara took it.“I need to tell you something.”Richard leaned forward.“
CHAPTER 136: THE WAREHOUSE WITH NO NAME
The police did not tell Richard when they would enter the building.Inspector Mensah made that clear during their next call.“We have a warrant application in progress. We have a location, but we don't yet have enough to say Clara is inside.”“Then what are you waiting for?” Richard asked.“Authorization and the right personnel.”“She could be moved again.”“I understand the urgency.”Richard pressed his fingers against his forehead.“Inspector, she called me. She was frightened. She said someone was waiting for a delivery.”“And we are using that information. But if we rush into a building without the necessary preparation, we could lose the suspect, damage evidence, or put Clara in greater danger.”Richard went quiet.Mensah continued.“I need you to stay away from that area.”“I won't interfere.”“Good. I'll call you when we have something.”The call ended.Sophia was sitting across from him in Grant's office. She had heard enough to understand his frustration.“You're thinking abo
CHAPTER 135: THE SECOND KEY
Adrian Vale did not look surprised when Richard requested a meeting.That was the first thing Richard noticed.The second was that Adrian had chosen a small conference room instead of his usual office.There were no assistants waiting outside. No board members. No security personnel standing visibly behind the glass.Only Adrian, seated at the far end of the table, with a cup of untouched coffee before him.“You look tired,” Adrian said.Richard pulled out a chair.“I didn't come here to discuss my appearance.”“I assumed as much.”Sophia sat beside Richard. Grant remained standing near the door, carrying a slim folder.Adrian glanced at them.“Should I expect an accusation?”“An explanation,” Richard replied.“Those are often the same thing when people have already made up their minds.”Grant placed a document on the table.“Do you recognize this?”Adrian looked down.It was a copy of the key-control register.His eyes moved across the page and stopped at the signature.“Yes.”“You s
CHAPTER 134: THE CALL THEY COULD NOT TRACE
The call lasted less than a minute. Yet Richard had listened to it so many times that he could still hear Clara’s breathing whenever the room became quiet. He sat at the conference table with his phone beside him. The recording was playing through the speakers again. A machine starting. A machine stopping. Two distant voices. Then Clara. Someone with a key is late. Richard closed his eyes. “Play that last part again,” he said. Grant moved the recording backward. Clara’s voice returned, faint and frightened. “They keep asking about the second plan. I don't know where it is. Eleanor never told me.” Then the unfamiliar voice in the background. “Tell him the records are expected before the next delivery.” A metallic sound followed. The call ended. Sophia stood near the window, her arms folded. “We have to be careful about what we think we heard,” she said. Richard looked up. “You think she didn't say Voss?” “I think she said something that sounded li
CHAPTER 133: THE VOICE FROM THE ROOM
The call came at 4:36 p.m. Richard was in Grant's office, reviewing the certified copy of Philip Crane's notebook, when his phone vibrated. Inspector Mensah's number appeared on the screen. He answered immediately. "Have you found her?" "We have a development," the inspector said. "The person of interest we identified has agreed to speak with investigators. He has provided information about a location where Clara may have been held." Richard stood. "Where?" "We're checking the location now. I cannot give you the address until the search team has assessed the site." "Is Clara there?" "We don't know yet." Richard closed his eyes briefly. "Please call me as soon as you know." "I will." When the call ended, Richard remained standing. Sophia watched him. "They're checking a location." "Which means they might find her." "Yes." "And they might not." "Yes." He looked at her, frustrated by her refusal to offer certainty. She understood. "If I tell you she's there and she
CHAPTER 132: THE FILE IN THE LAWYER'S OFFICE
The estate solicitor agreed to meet them at eleven the following morning. He was a compact man named Andrew Bell, with neatly combed hair and a voice that suggested he had spent his career explaining unpleasant facts to people who did not want to hear them. "I reviewed your request," Bell said as he led them into a conference room. "Philip Crane's estate file contains personal papers, business correspondence, and several boxes of documents retained by his family. Some materials are subject to confidentiality restrictions. I cannot simply give you everything." "We understand," Grant replied. "We're looking for records connected to an old administrative transfer and a missing archive." Bell placed a folder on the table. "Mr. Crane's family identified several documents relating to his advisory work at Blackridge. I can show you the material that may be relevant, but any copies will need to be handled through the appropriate process." Richard nodded. "That's fair." Bell opened the
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