Chapter 5 - THE PORTFOLIO THEY WANTED ME TO FIND
Room 4201 was no accident.
Neither was the gala.
Neither was my job.
That was the conclusion I reached before midnight.
We left the hotel through a service garage using Elena’s car.
Victor refused a hospital.
Dr. Patel arranged a private clinic instead.
I refused to go home until my mother was moved somewhere safe.
Victor didn’t argue.
Another thing I hadn't expected.
At 1:40 A.M., we sat inside Elena’s townhouse while her attorney reviewed the hotel records.
The leather portfolio had been removed before security sealed room 4201.
But the hallway camera captured the person carrying it.
A woman.
Blonde.
Forties.
Wearing the black Luminara Events uniform.
I recognized her.
“Karen.”
My supervisor.
Elena looked toward me.
“You know her?”
“She’s been my boss for three years.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“Does she know about your father?”
“Yes.”
Everyone at work did.
I kept his photograph on my desk.
Then another file appeared.
Karen had accessed my employee records twelve times during the previous month.
My emergency contact.
Address.
Mother’s medical history.
Even the location of Dad’s storage unit.
My stomach turned.
“They’ve been watching me.”
Victor nodded.
“For longer than tonight.”
The attorney traced the storage unit.
Someone had attempted access two weeks earlier using a forged copy of my identification.
The manager refused because the signature didn't match.
Then yesterday, someone tried again.
I stood.
“We need to go there.”
“No,” Victor said.
I turned.
“You don't get to order me around.”
“I’m not ordering.”
“You sounded like it.”
He took a breath.
Then tried again.
“Hazel, I think going there tonight is dangerous.”
That was different.
Still infuriating.
But different.
I sat back down.
“What do you think Dad hid?”
Victor looked toward the encrypted drive he carried.
“A ledger.”
“What kind?”
“Names. Payments. Routes.”
He explained that Nathan believed someone inside Castle Maritime was working with Graham Mercer and corrupt law-enforcement contacts.
His final audit referenced a master ledger.
But nobody ever found it.
Then my mother called.
Her voice trembled.
“Hazel?”
“Mom.”
“I’m fine.”
I closed my eyes.
“Thank God.”
Then she whispered:
“There were men outside the building.”
My stomach tightened.
“Where are you now?”
“With the attorney you sent.”
“Good.”
A pause.
Then Mom said:
“Honey, I need to tell you something about your father.”
My heart pounded.
“What?”
“He left me a key.”
I went still.
“What key?”
“A bank deposit key.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“He said never to use it unless someone mentioned the Brooks Foundation.”
My hands began shaking.
Fourteen years.
Mom had carried that secret for fourteen years.
“Where is it?”
“In my jewelry box.”
Victor looked toward me.
Then Mom whispered:
“Hazel, your father said the box contains proof that a man named Castle was innocent.”
I looked at Victor.
His expression changed.
“Innocent of what?” I asked.
Mom hesitated.
Then answered:
“Your father's murder.”
May you like
Victor stopped breathing.
Because for fourteen years, he had believed his own father ordered Nathan Brooks killed.
