Chapter 10 - The Ledger’s Secret
The freezing rain soaked through Daniel’s tuxedo within seconds. He walked steadily toward Victor Cole, stopping ten paces away. The armed men kept their weapons trained on Daniel’s chest, but Daniel didn't flinch.
“You look terrible, Victor,” Daniel said coldly.
Victor wheezed, a pathetic, wet sound that ended in a rasping chuckle. “Dying will do that to a man, Daniel. But at least I lived long enough to see your perfect empire crumble.”
“You killed Claire,” Daniel stated, the rage burning like acid in his veins. “You ran her car off the ridge.”
“She stole from me!” Victor spat, his eyes bulging with frantic hatred. “She found out that I was laundering foreign money through your logistics firm. She took the digital key that controlled the offshore accounts—over two hundred million dollars. She was going to hand it to the FBI. I tried to stop her, but she panicked and drove off the cliff.”
“And you spent three years trying to get it back,” Daniel deduced. “Julianna was just your pawn to find the key in my house.”
“Julianna was greedy,” Victor said, dismissing her with a flick of his wrist. “She thought she could marry you, take your wealth, and split the offshore funds with me. But she was an idiot. She let an eight-year-old outsmart her.”
Victor raised the manila folder he was holding. “I found the key, Daniel. It was hidden inside Claire’s music box, just where she told me it would be before she drew her last breath.”
Daniel’s fists clenched. “Then take your damn money and leave us alone. It’s over.”
“Over?” Victor laughed, a high, mocking shriek that chilled Daniel to the bone. “Oh, Daniel. It hasn’t even started. You think this was about money? Money means nothing to a man with six months to live.”
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Victor took a step closer, tapping the folder against his cane.
“This folder wasn't in the safe, Daniel. I found it in Claire’s personal lockbox at the downtown depository. Do you know what’s inside?”
