Chapter 10 - THE PERSON WHO BUILT THE FALSE PAPER TRAIL
The pattern finally became clear.
Someone had spent years creating documents using identities that could not easily fight back.
Dead relatives.
Missing people.
Young people.
Employees.
Me.
The question was who.
Dominic had been dead twelve years.
Yet NB Consulting was created only two years ago.
So someone had continued his system.
Adrian ordered a full forensic review of every company connected to Dominic’s old network.
Three days later, one name appeared repeatedly.
Martin Vale.
Adrian’s second cousin.
Chief financial officer of Vale Hospitality.
Quiet.
Polite.
Fifty-one.
The kind of man who attended every Christmas dinner and never raised his voice.
I had served him coffee a hundred times.
Adrian went still when Grant told him.
“Martin?”
Grant nodded.
Martin’s mother had been Dominic’s sister.
He grew up inside the family.
He knew every corporate structure.
Every old trust.
Every weakness.
More importantly, Martin had approved payments to NB Consulting.
“He used Nora as a shell,” Grant said.
“Why her?”
I already knew.
“Because of my mother.”
Everyone looked at me.
“Martin found Elena’s records. He knew Sarah Bennett had helped her.”
Adrian’s expression darkened.
“So he found you.”
“Yes.”
Elise likely discovered the same thing.
Maybe she created the fake company to expose Martin.
Or maybe Martin created it and used Elise’s email to frame her.
We still didn’t know.
Then Adrian’s phone rang.
Security.
Martin had arrived at Vale House.
Uninvited.
He walked into the library as if nothing had happened.
“Nora.”
His smile was warm.
Too warm.
Adrian stood between us.
“Sit.”
Martin looked amused.
“Is this an interrogation?”
“No.”
Grant locked the door.
Martin’s smile disappeared.
Adrian placed the ledger on the table.
Then the NB Consulting documents.
Then Elena’s letter.
Martin looked at them.
No visible reaction.
That was impressive.
“What do you want me to say?”
“Start with Nora.”
Martin glanced at me.
“She’s staff.”
“Try again.”
Martin sighed.
Then something shocking happened.
He smiled.
“You finally found it.”
Adrian’s voice lowered.
“Found what?”
“The trail.”
My skin prickled.
Martin wasn’t denying anything.
He leaned back.
“Dominic was sloppy. Gregory was worse. They thought secrets stayed buried because people were afraid.”
“And you?”
“I learned better.”
Adrian’s jaw clenched.
“Did you create NB Consulting?”
“Yes.”
My breath caught.
“Why use me?”
Martin looked at me.
“Because Sarah Bennett kept something that belonged to this family.”
“My mother is dead.”
“Exactly.”
The word chilled me.
Adrian stepped forward.
“What does he mean?”
Martin smiled at me.
“Your mother didn’t just hide Elena’s evidence.”
“She hid the money too.”
“What money?”
“Twenty-three million dollars.”
I stared at him.
“I don’t have twenty-three million dollars.”
Martin’s eyes didn’t move.
“No.”
May you like
Then he said:
“But according to Dominic’s records, your mother left it to you.”
