Chapter 7 - The Man Behind the Cameras.
Simon Cross's voice filled the library from speakers Adrian had forgotten existed.
Claire looked at the nearest ceiling camera.
A small red light came on.
"You can see us," she said.
Simon laughed softly.
"I can see almost everything in this house."
Nolan pulled Adrian away from the center of the room.
Margaret closed her eyes as though she had been hoping Simon would remain invisible.
Adrian looked toward the camera.
"You disabled my security team."
"I redirected them."
"You let strangers into my home."
"Strangers is an emotional word."
Simon's voice remained maddeningly calm.
"Most of them have worked for Victor for years."
Claire stepped beneath the camera.
"Where is Victor?"
"Close enough."
"And what does he want?"
"You know what he wants."
Claire looked at the black key in Adrian's hand.
Simon chuckled again.
"There it is."
Adrian closed his fist.
"You staged the dinner card."
"Margaret staged the card."
Margaret flinched.
Simon continued.
"I merely told her where Evelyn hid the key."
Claire glanced at Margaret.
"You knew?"
Margaret shook her head.
"Not until tonight."
Simon sounded pleased.
"Margaret has always been useful because she still believes she has choices."
Margaret's face hardened.
"You promised no one would be hurt."
"And most promises sound sincere when they are made."
Adrian saw Claire's attention sharpen.
Simon had just revealed something he did not intend.
The attack had not gone according to plan.
Claire spoke slowly.
"You wanted Adrian alive."
Simon paused.
"Obviously."
"You wanted Nolan alive too."
Another pause.
"Irrelevant."
Claire looked at the black key.
"And you needed me to find this."
The speaker went silent.
Adrian finally understood.
"They watched you for eleven months."
Claire nodded once.
"They could not find Evelyn's trail, so they let me search for it."
Nolan looked disgusted.
"We have been guarding their investigation for them."
Simon returned.
"Do not take it personally."
Nolan stared at the speaker.
"I am going to enjoy firing you."
"That assumes you still have a job tomorrow."
Claire lifted the hollow book.
"The key opens what?"
Simon answered immediately.
"Charles Vale's secondary archive."
Adrian frowned.
"There is no secondary archive."
Claire looked at him.
"Your father did not put a fake book in the library for decoration."
Simon sighed.
"Claire, this is becoming tedious."
"Then tell us where the archive is."
"You already know."
Claire's gaze moved around the room.
Bookshelves.
Fireplace.
Window.
Old portrait of Charles Vale.
Then she looked at Adrian.
"Your father hated safes."
Adrian nodded.
"He said safes advertise value."
"What did he trust?"
Adrian remembered a phrase from childhood.
"Things nobody respects enough to steal."
Claire's eyes moved to the service bell panel near the library door.
She pulled it open.
Behind the old brass bells was a narrow black slot.
Adrian inserted Evelyn's key.
The entire panel released.
Inside sat a small metal box.
Nolan exhaled.
"We found it."
Claire did not smile.
"No."
She lifted the box.
It was almost weightless.
Inside was a single folded piece of paper.
Adrian opened it.
Three words were written in Charles Vale's handwriting.
WRONG SAFE, SON.
Simon suddenly swore through the speaker.
Claire looked up at the camera.
For the first time that night, she smiled.
May you like
"Looks like your twelve minutes were not enough."
Then the red camera light went dark.
