Chapter 13 - What Claire Was Really Hunting
Claire’s message continued in encrypted attachment.
Rebecca had been afraid to open it alone.
Victor’s investigators authenticated file.
Claire wrote:
NATALIE SWITCHED SOPHIE’S MEDICINE.
PIERCE COVERED THE DATA FRAUD.
MICHAEL EXPOSED HELIX.
THAT IS NOT WHY I’M STILL GONE.
Victor read again.
Everything solved so far was only medical layer.
Claire remained hidden for another reason.
She and Michael discovered Helix had used Ashford Foundation grants as leverage to acquire data rights from struggling pediatric clinics.
Legal language allowed de-identified research.
But internal contracts went further.
A private investment vehicle held future licensing rights.
Name:
Asterion Health Reserve.
Owners concealed.
Michael believed someone inside Ashford family had financial interest.
Victor suspected Eleanor.
Wrong again.
Eleanor owned none.
Neither did Victor.
Rebecca?
No.
Claire?
No.
Michael?
His Helix stake was investigative.
Then beneficial ownership emerged.
Asterion was created by Victoria Ashford.
Claire’s mother.
Years before her death.
Victor stared.
Victoria had founded medical investment reserve after Rebecca’s childhood illness.
She wanted respiratory research funded privately.
Initially noble.
Over years, structure changed.
After Victoria died, control passed to unnamed successor trustee.
Who?
Blue ledger contained initials:
M.A.
Michael Ashford?
Michael denied in old notes.
He had been tracing trustee.
Then Claire discovered identity.
She arranged meeting four months ago.
She and Michael went together.
Neither returned publicly.
Victor asked Rebecca:
“Who were they meeting?”
Rebecca hesitated.
“Eleanor.”
Victor stood.
Eleanor shook head violently.
“No.”
Rebecca produced Claire’s message.
MEETING E.A. AT ASTERION ARCHIVE.
E.A.
Everyone assumed Eleanor Ashford.
But Eleanor had been in Paris that date with public photographs.
So E.A. meant someone else.
Victor searched historical trustees.
One name:
EDWARD ASHFORD.
Victor’s older brother.
Dead twenty-nine years.
Car crash.
Body identified.
Again dead people.
Victor refused another false-death assumption.
“Edward is dead.”
Rebecca agreed.
“Claire knew.”
Then what?
Edward Ashford Foundation.
Entity using his name remained active.
Current administrator hidden behind law firm.
Claire wrote “E.A.” meaning entity, not person.
Michael and Claire went to Asterion archive to obtain original beneficiary register.
They disappeared afterward.
Were they harmed?
Rebecca had no evidence.
Then Victor’s security chief entered.
“We found Claire.”
Victor stood so quickly chair overturned.
“Where?”
“Not Claire exactly.”
A vehicle registered under Claire’s alias had been located at private airfield.
Inside:
Claire’s coat.
Michael’s wallet.
And a blue vial.
Not medicine.
Empty.
Inside glass bottom was rolled strip of paper.
Coordinates.
Victor followed legally with police.
Coordinates led to lakeside cabin owned by Asterion.
Door unlocked.
Inside were recent groceries.
Two coffee cups.
Laptop charger.
Photograph of Sophie.
Then upstairs—
a woman’s voice.
Victor stopped breathing.
May you like
“Dad?”
He knew that voice.
