Chapter 5 - The Senator’s Locked Office
Arthur had lied for seventeen years.
This time, he brought documents.
Dominic read them beside the grave.
His expression became colder with every page.
His father had created a trust shortly before his death.
Twenty-two percent of Russo Global had been transferred into it.
The beneficiary was listed only as E.H. CHILD.
Beatrice.
“Why?” she asked.
Arthur looked exhausted.
“Because Dominic’s father and Daniel Hayes built the legitimate company together.”
Dominic stared at him.
“My father never mentioned Daniel.”
“He couldn't.”
“Why?”
“Because Daniel was undercover.”
The pieces began connecting.
Daniel had entered the financial network as an investigator.
Dominic’s father had secretly helped him.
Together they had accumulated evidence.
Then Daniel was murdered.
Evelyn disappeared.
And Arthur inherited the responsibility of hiding Daniel’s daughter.
“You could have told me,” Beatrice said.
Arthur looked at her.
“I wanted to.”
“For seventeen years?”
“I was afraid.”
“You were a United States senator.”
“I was still afraid.”
That confession sounded more truthful than anything Arthur had said all night.
Beatrice thought of every time he had failed to defend her from Chloe.
“Were you afraid when Chloe humiliated me too?”
Arthur lowered his eyes.
“No.”
“Then don't use fear to excuse everything.”
He absorbed that quietly.
“You're right.”
Beatrice had waited years to hear those words.
They did not heal as much as she expected.
Dominic closed the folder.
“Who controls the network now?”
Arthur looked toward the darkness.
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“I know the title.”
“What title?”
“The Custodian.”
Dominic frowned.
“Never heard of it.”
“You weren't supposed to.”
Arthur explained that the network changed leadership through succession rather than public hierarchy. The Custodian never appeared in the ledger by real name.
Only a symbol.
A black crown.
Chloe suddenly spoke.
“I saw that.”
Everyone turned.
“In the ledger.”
“Where?” Arthur asked.
“Beside Liam’s name.”
Dominic went still.
“My cousin is the Custodian?”
“No. There was another notation.”
“What?”
“HEIR.”
Dominic swore softly.
Liam was being groomed to inherit the network.
Which meant his affair with Chloe had never merely been betrayal.
It was infiltration.
Chloe began crying again.
“I didn't know.”
Dominic looked at her.
“You knew enough to record conversations with federal agents.”
“My father told me Dominic was dangerous.”
Arthur closed his eyes.
“I never told you to sleep with Liam.”
Chloe glared at him.
“You told me to get close.”
“I meant professionally.”
“That's convenient.”
For once, Beatrice saw Chloe without the armor.
Not glamorous.
Not superior.
Scared.
Used.
It didn't erase the cruelty.
But it complicated it.
Dominic turned toward Beatrice.
“We need the ledger.”
“And Liam.”
“Yes.”
“And whoever took him.”
“Yes.”
Arthur said, “There's one place they may go.”
“Where?”
“My Senate office.”
Beatrice frowned.
“Why?”
“Because Daniel hid the original ownership certificates there.”
Dominic stared.
“You kept them in a government building?”
“Nobody searches the obvious place.”
They returned to Manhattan before dawn.
Arthur’s office was dark.
The outer door showed no forced entry.
Arthur used his key.
Inside, everything looked untouched.
He crossed to a framed photograph.
Removed it.
Behind it was a wall safe.
Empty.
Arthur stopped.
“No.”
Dominic inspected the lock.
“Opened properly.”
“Only I know the code.”
Chloe said, “Mom knew everything you knew.”
Arthur turned.
Chloe looked sick.
“You said Mom helped the network.”
Arthur slowly nodded.
“She knew the code?”
“Yes.”
“But she died six years ago.”
“Yes.”
Beatrice looked toward the desk.
A red message light blinked.
“There's voicemail.”
Arthur pressed play.
A woman's voice filled the office.
“Hello, Arthur.”
Chloe screamed.
“Mom?”
Arthur grabbed the desk.
Victoria Davenport.
Dead for six years.
Or supposedly dead.
Her voice continued.
“You always were sentimental. That's why Daniel chose you. That's why Evelyn trusted you. And that's why you failed both of them.”
Arthur whispered, “Victoria.”
“If you're hearing this, Beatrice finally knows.”
Beatrice stepped closer.
“Know what?”
The recording continued.
“Daniel Hayes was never murdered because he discovered the network.”
A pause.
“He was murdered because he tried to destroy it.”
Dominic’s eyes narrowed.
“There's a difference?”
“Yes,” Arthur whispered.
The recording continued.
“And Beatrice, if you're listening, Arthur has probably told you that your father left you ownership.”
Beatrice held her breath.
“He lied.”
Arthur turned toward her.
“No.”
“He didn't leave you ownership.”
The recording crackled.
“He left you the key that can dissolve the entire network.”
Beatrice looked at the old key from the cemetery box.
Victoria laughed softly on the recording.
“And that is why everyone will kill for you now.”
The message ended.
Silence.
Then someone knocked.
Three slow knocks.
Dominic motioned everyone back.
“Who is it?”
No answer.
Marco approached the door.
Beatrice saw a shadow beneath it.
The handle moved.
Once.
Twice.
Then stopped.
A white envelope slid underneath.
Dominic opened it.
Inside was a photograph taken less than ten minutes earlier.
It showed all of them standing inside the office.
Someone was watching them.
On the back were five words.
THE CUSTODIAN IS IN THIS ROOM.
May you like
Everyone slowly looked at everyone else.
Then the office door locked from the outside...
