Chapter 9 - The Escape
Ninety-two million dollars.
For a few seconds, the number didn’t mean anything.
It was too large.
Too absurd.
Then my training took over.
“Date range?”
“Six years.”
“Receiving jurisdictions?”
“Cayman Islands. Luxembourg. Singapore. Two domestic trusts.”
“Beneficial ownership?”
“Still tracing.”
I looked at my father.
He smiled.
That was when I knew.
He had one more move.
“You think you’ve caught me,” he said.
Adrian stepped forward.
“Aidan, I suggest you stop talking.”
Dad ignored him.
“You think because you found some paperwork, you understand the game?”
I said, “I understand enough.”
“No. You understand spreadsheets.”
He leaned closer.
“I understand people.”
I almost laughed.
“You don’t understand your own daughters.”
“I understand you perfectly.”
He pointed at Adrian.
“You hid him because you wanted this moment.”
“No.”
“You wanted to walk in here and prove you were better than all of us.”
“That’s what you would have done.”
His smile vanished.
Exactly.
I turned toward Daniel.
“Freeze every Vale-controlled account connected to Harbor Point pending compliance review.”
Dad’s face changed.
“There it is.”
“Not because you insulted me.”
“Bullshit.”
“Because ninety-two million dollars moved through entities using my stolen identity.”
The officers exchanged looks.
This had moved far beyond a missing bracelet.
One of them stepped into the hallway and began making calls.
Dad noticed.
So did I.
He moved suddenly.
Not toward the door.
Toward my mother.
He grabbed her handbag.
“What are you doing?”
She shouted.
He shoved her aside and ran.
“Dad!”
Security moved.
He threw a chair behind him.
People screamed in the hallway.
Adrian’s men followed.
I ran too.
“Mabel!” Adrian shouted.
But I couldn’t stop.
My father raced through the service corridor, past stunned kitchen staff and rolling carts.
“Aidan!” one of the officers yelled.
He hit the emergency exit.
Cold Boston air flooded in.
Outside, valet attendants jumped away as he ran toward the street.
A black Mercedes pulled up.
The rear door opened.
He got inside.
The car accelerated before the door fully closed.
I reached the curb just in time to see it disappear around the corner.
Adrian came up behind me.
“Are you okay?”
“No.”
Daniel arrived, breathing hard.
“We got the plate.”
I stared down the street.
“Whose car?”
One of Adrian’s security men checked his phone.
“Registered to Sterling East Holdings.”
I knew that name.
Everyone in Boston finance knew it.
Sterling East was controlled by Victor Sterling.
Real estate billionaire.
Political donor.
And one of Adrian’s oldest business enemies.
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“This just got bigger.”
I looked at him.
“You know Sterling?”
“Yes.”
“How well?”
His silence answered me.
My chest tightened.
“How well, Adrian?”
He looked toward Daniel.
Then back at me.
“Victor tried to acquire Vale Capital eight years ago.”
“So?”
“When I refused, he spent the next three years trying to bankrupt us.”
I stared at him.
“And my father just escaped in his car.”
“Yes.”
For the first time all night, Adrian looked genuinely worried.
That frightened me.
I folded my arms against the cold.
“Tell me what you aren’t saying.”
He hesitated.
“Sterling has wanted access to Harbor Point for years.”
“Why?”
“We never knew.”
A phone rang.
Mine.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?”
My father’s voice came through.
“Mabel.”
I looked at Adrian.
“Where are you?”
Dad laughed.
“You finally want to talk?”
“Where are you?”
“You should ask your husband what’s underneath Harbor Point.”
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Adrian went completely still.
My father continued.
“He knows.”
Then the line went dead.
I lowered the phone.
I looked at my husband.
“What’s underneath Harbor Point?”
May you like
Adrian didn’t answer.
And suddenly I realized my family wasn’t the only one keeping secrets.
