CHAPTER 5 — THE BRASS KEY
Harrison read the list without reacting.
“Who created this?”
“I did,” Emma said.
“Based on what evidence?”
“Death certificates, police reports, sealed settlements and two classified investigations I accessed before resigning.”
Harrison placed the page on the desk.
“Accessing classified investigations would be a federal crime.”
“Yes.”
“And you expect us to trust you?”
“No. I expect you to stay alive long enough to realize I’m telling the truth.”
Khloe moved between them.
“Start at the beginning.”
Emma explained that her mother, Rebecca Shaw, had worked with Daniel Cole before his marriage.
Their relationship ended before Khloe and Harrison’s mother entered his life.
Daniel provided financial support, but Rebecca refused to let him acknowledge Emma publicly.
According to Emma, Rebecca feared Daniel’s business partners.
Years later, when Harrington Commercial Group approached collapse, Daniel used the Cole trust to save it.
But he also placed several valuable properties inside Meridian Land Holdings.
Meridian was intended as an emergency reserve.
If Richard ever endangered Khloe or the company, Meridian’s land could be used to protect employees and creditors.
“Why put it in your name?” Khloe asked.
“Because no one knew I existed.”
Harrison’s jaw tightened.
“You expect me to believe Dad gave hundreds of millions of dollars to a secret child?”
“He did not give me the land. He made me its temporary custodian.”
Emma looked at Khloe.
“The trust agreement says control transfers to you after you meet three conditions.”
“What conditions?”
“You must discover the agreement without assistance from Richard. You must retain control of the original company. And you must open the box using this key.”
Khloe picked up the brass key.
“Where did you get it?”
“My mother gave it to me before she disappeared.”
“Disappeared?”
“Three months ago.”
Khloe glanced at the crossed-out names.
“Do you think someone took her?”
“I know someone did.”
They returned to Khloe’s house under police protection.
The wooden box remained in the library.
Khloe inserted the key.
The lock opened with a quiet click.
Inside was a leather ledger, a sealed flash drive and a handwritten note.
Harrison reached for the ledger.
Emma stopped him.
“Wear gloves.”
He looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because this box was opened before.”
The original seal along the inner hinge had been carefully cut.
Someone had examined the contents and returned them.
Harrison put on gloves and opened the ledger.
It contained payments made from Meridian to attorneys, executives and public officials over nearly fifteen years.
Most entries were legitimate expenses.
Some were not.
One name appeared repeatedly.
Thomas Crane.
Thomas had served as vice chairman of Harrington Commercial Group for twenty-two years. After Richard’s conviction, he had publicly supported Khloe’s leadership and voted for every reform she introduced.
“He helped me rebuild the company,” Khloe said.
Emma shook her head.
“He helped Richard steal it.”
Harrison turned another page.
His face changed.
Khloe followed his gaze.
A payment of two hundred thousand dollars had been made to Harrison’s former law firm.
The authorization carried Harrison’s electronic signature.
“I never approved this,” he said.
Emma looked almost sympathetic.
“Someone wanted it to appear that you did.”
The flash drive contained several video files.
The first showed Daniel Cole sitting behind his desk three weeks before his death.
His face looked exhausted.
“If this recording has been found,” he said, “then Thomas Crane knows the Meridian agreement survived.”
Daniel leaned closer to the camera.
“Thomas does not want the company. He wants the land beneath it.”
The recording suddenly froze.
A warning appeared on the screen.
FILE CORRUPTED.
Then every light in the house went out.
From upstairs, Hope began to cry.
When Khloe reached the nursery, the window was open.
May you like
A muddy footprint marked the white carpet beside her daughter’s crib.
