Chapter 12 - The Last Name in the Ledger
The threat arrived disguised as flowers.
Caitlyn found them on her desk.
White roses.
No card.
She immediately called security.
Damian examined the arrangement himself.
Inside one stem was a microchip.
Marco extracted the file.
A single photograph appeared.
Caitlyn and Damian kissing on the rooftop.
Damian’s face went cold.
“Who had access?”
“Nobody,” Marco said.
“Then somebody watched from another building.”
Vincent entered.
“We found the last encrypted name.”
Everyone turned.
The Red Door ledger had contained one unidentified code.
A-17.
Marco had finally matched it.
Aaron Mercer.
Caitlyn recognized the name.
Hamilton Holdings’ chief financial officer.
A man who had attended her birthday lunches.
A man who had sent flowers when her parents died.
A man who had approved Noah’s medical benefits.
Damian whispered:
“Find him.”
Mercer had disappeared that morning.
His apartment was empty.
His accounts had been cleared.
But Caitlyn remembered something.
“He has a daughter.”
Damian looked at her.
“Madeline.”
They found Madeline Mercer at Columbia University.
She was terrified.
“My father told me he was leaving.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did he say why?”
She nodded.
“He said Damian Hamilton was going to kill him.”
Caitlyn looked at Damian.
Mercer had prepared the lie carefully.
Then Madeline handed Caitlyn a letter.
“My father said if anything happened, give this to you.”
Inside was one sentence.
ASK NOAH WHO DROVE THE CAR.
Caitlyn’s blood froze.
Noah had always said their father drove.
But trauma distorted memory.
That evening Caitlyn asked again.
Noah stared at her.
Then slowly shook his head.
“Dad didn’t drive.”
“Who did?”
“Mom.”
Caitlyn frowned.
Their mother hated driving in snow.
“Why?”
Noah swallowed.
“Dad was hurt.”
Caitlyn felt cold.
“Hurt how?”
“Someone came house.”
“Who?”
Noah closed his eyes.
“Mercer.”
The truth finally surfaced.
Aaron Mercer had attacked Thomas hours before the crash.
The Elmores fled.
Their mother drove.
The truck that struck them had been waiting.
Mercer had orchestrated everything.
Not Anthony.
Not Vale.
They had ordered the killing.
Mercer had executed it.
And now he was free.
Damian immediately doubled security.
Caitlyn hated it.
“You cannot lock me inside forever.”
“I can try.”
“No.”
“You’re the only living witness Mercer hasn’t controlled.”
“Noah is.”
“Which is why he has eight guards.”
“And I have twelve?”
“You’re more argumentative.”
She glared at him.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“What?”
Caitlyn asked.
Damian slowly lowered the phone.
“Mercer took Madeline.”
Caitlyn stared.
“His own daughter?”
“He wants the ledger.”
Again.
But this time Caitlyn knew something the others did not.
Thomas had written a second ledger.
One hidden not in a clock.
But inside Noah’s old music notebook.
May you like
And Aaron Mercer knew it existed.
The final confrontation had begun.
