Chapter 4 - The Man Damon Trusted

At eight the next morning, Adrian Vale entered Ashford House smiling.

He wore a charcoal suit, silver tie, and the easy confidence of a man who had spent most of his adult life being welcomed into every room.

"Damon. You sounded strange on the phone."

Damon poured coffee.

"Didn't sleep."

"Still doing that?"

Adrian sat across from him.

"Three years is a long time to keep punishing yourself."

Damon's hand paused over the cup.

"Is that what I've been doing?"

"What else would you call living in a mausoleum?"

In the adjoining pantry, Naomi listened through a small receiver while Caleb recorded.

Damon had resisted involving her.

Naomi had refused to leave.

Adrian sipped his coffee.

"So what's the crisis?"

"Foundation audit."

Adrian's expression did not change.

"What about it?"

"Accounting found irregularities in old grant transfers."

"Old as in?"

"Three to four years."

Adrian smiled.

"Then I can save you time. We changed reporting software around then. Half those records were reconstructed after the migration."

Damon watched him.

Prepared answer.

Too prepared.

"Any connection to Halcyon Consulting?"

The cup stopped halfway to Adrian's mouth.

Only for a second.

Then he drank.

"Halcyon. That sounds familiar."

"It received six point eight million dollars."

Adrian frowned theatrically. "Then I hope it sounds familiar."

Damon almost admired the performance.

"You handled foundation legal review."

"I handled everything legal."

"Elena asked questions about Halcyon."

This time Adrian set the cup down.

"Why are we talking about Elena?"

"Because her name appears in old correspondence."

Adrian leaned back.

"You're grieving again."

"No."

"Yes, you are. Every anniversary you start looking backward."

Damon said nothing.

Adrian softened his voice.

"She was sick, Damon."

The statement hit harder than accusation.

"Elena wasn't sick."

"Not physically."

Damon's jaw tightened.

Adrian continued carefully. "She was paranoid near the end. Anxious. Suspicious of people. You told me yourself."

Damon remembered.

He had told Adrian Elena was "spiraling" after she accused him of hiding records.

Adrian had agreed too quickly.

"You recommended a psychiatrist."

"Because you asked."

"I didn't ask."

For the first time, Adrian's smile disappeared.

Damon leaned forward.

"You suggested it."

A long silence passed.

Then Adrian laughed.

"All right. I suggested it. So what?"

"Nothing."

Adrian studied him.

"What's really happening?"

Damon let exhaustion show.

"I found her ring."

The blood left Adrian's face.

Naomi saw it through the pantry crack.

Damon continued.

"Behind the study wall."

Adrian recovered.

"I didn't know it was missing."

"You were at the hospital when they returned her things."

"I was supporting you. I wasn't inventorying jewelry."

Damon nodded.

"Of course."

Adrian stood.

"If this audit is stirring things up, let me handle it."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I'm tired of letting other people handle things."

Adrian's gaze sharpened.

"Does that include me?"

"It includes everyone."

The meeting ended ten minutes later.

Adrian hugged Damon before leaving.

The gesture almost made Damon sick.

When the front door closed, Naomi entered.

"He knew about the ring."

"I know."

"Can you prove it?"

"Not yet."

Caleb emerged with the recorder.

"He also lied about Halcyon. His pupils went wide before he answered."

Damon said, "Body language isn't evidence."

"No. But it's useful."

Mrs. Whitfield hurried into the room.

"Mr. Ashford."

Damon turned.

"Security says Mr. Vale didn't leave the property."

They moved to the camera monitor.

Adrian's car had stopped near the south gate.

He stood outside, speaking on a second phone.

Caleb zoomed in.

"Can we hear him?"

"No audio."

Naomi pointed.

"He's angry."

Adrian ended the call, opened his trunk, removed a small case, and walked toward the old staff garages.

Damon's eyes narrowed.

"Those garages are scheduled for demolition."

They watched him disappear inside.

Damon called security.

"Do not approach him."

Naomi said, "Why not?"

"Because I want to know what he's retrieving."

Ten minutes later, Adrian emerged carrying nothing.

He drove away.

Damon waited until the gate closed.

Then they went to the garage.

Behind a stack of winter tires, Caleb found a metal cash box.

Empty.

Except for a torn photograph.

Elena stood beside Isaiah Carter near the unfinished winter garden.

On the back Elena had written:

If Damon won't listen, we go to the board.

Naomi whispered, "They were going to expose him."

Damon's throat tightened.

A car door slammed outside.

Everyone turned.

Security called over the radio.

"Mr. Ashford, we have a problem."

"What?"

"Someone just tried to access the east wing from the service entrance."

"Who?"

A pause.

Then:

"Jared Pike. Former Ashford security contractor."

Damon knew the name.

Jared had worked under Victor Hale.

"Hold him."

"They can't."

"What do you mean?"

"He ran."

Caleb looked toward the house.

Naomi's face changed.

"Zuri."

They sprinted.

By the time Naomi reached the staff corridor, she was screaming her daughter's name.

Rosa came running from the kitchen.

"She's with Mrs. Whitfield!"

"Where?"

"The music room."

Damon's blood went cold.

They found the door open.

Mrs. Whitfield was unconscious on the carpet.

The room was empty.

Naomi screamed.

Then a tiny voice answered from behind the piano.

"Mama?"

Zuri crawled out, clutching the gold lion.

Naomi collapsed around her.

Damon knelt beside Mrs. Whitfield and found a pulse.

On the piano sat a note.

STOP DIGGING.

Underneath it was Elena's ring.

Damon stared at the platinum band.

Adrian had made his first mistake.

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He had just confirmed someone else knew exactly where the ring had been found.

And only four people in the house knew Damon had moved it to the music room that morning.