Chapter 4 - Beneath the Chair
The envelope contained no confession.
Only a key.
Small.
Brass.
Stamped:
B-17.
Ethan recognized numbering system.
Jonathan’s private archive at Bennett House used lettered storage rooms.
Room B had been emptied after his death.
Cabinet 17 should have been transferred to corporate records.
But inventory showed:
B-17 — REMOVED BY J. BENNETT, 11/19/2004.
One day after Jonathan bought the two watches.
Where did cabinet go?
No record.
Eleanor finally admitted Jonathan had kept several sensitive family files outside company archive.
She did not know location.
Ethan no longer believed convenient ignorance.
“You knew Adam Reed.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about the anonymous photographs.”
“Yes.”
“You knew something would happen tonight.”
“Yes.”
“And you filmed instead of taking Lily away.”
Eleanor looked down.
“I thought the person threatening us would finally appear.”
“That doesn’t explain why you didn’t protect her.”
“I made a terrible choice.”
It was the first answer without excuse.
Still not enough.
Maya examined Claire’s financial records.
The $5,000 advance had not come directly from Raven Hill.
It passed through three legitimate vendors before reaching her.
One vendor was Bennett House Services—the company that repaired Ethan’s watch.
Repair records showed something strange.
When Ethan’s watch was serviced last year, technician documented bezel scratch.
Photographs taken.
High-resolution.
Anyone with access could reproduce exact scratch on another identical watch.
So hidden man did not necessarily possess Jonathan’s second original.
He could have copied Ethan’s.
Who accessed repair photos?
Four employees.
One external auditor.
And Ethan.
The external auditor:
Martin Vale, forty-nine.
Former military logistics officer.
Current risk consultant.
Employed through Raven Hill Advisory.
Adam Reed’s company.
Police located Martin.
He did not run.
He arrived with attorney and admitted knowing Adam.
“Is Adam Reed alive?”
“No.”
“Did you wear watch in Eleanor’s video?”
Martin looked at Ethan.
“No.”
“Do you know who did?”
“Yes.”
“Name.”
“I can’t.”
Maya leaned forward.
“You’re obstructing investigation involving a restrained child.”
Martin’s composure cracked.
“I had nothing to do with the child.”
“Then help us.”
Martin placed sealed document on table.
It was signed by Jonathan Bennett in 2004.
Raven Hill had been retained for something called:
BENNETT CONTINUITY REVIEW.
Purpose:
To determine whether unauthorized individuals were using Ethan Bennett’s identity to approve family-office transactions.
Ethan laughed in disbelief.
“I was eighteen.”
“Exactly,” Martin said.
“What transactions?”
“Someone was signing your name before you had legal authority.”
“Who?”
“That was Adam’s investigation.”
“And what did he find?”
Martin looked toward key B-17.
“Enough that Jonathan paid him with more than a watch.”
“What does that mean?”
“Adam was given permanent access to Cabinet B-17.”
Ethan pushed key across table.
“Then where is cabinet?”
Martin stared at key.
“That isn’t B-17’s key.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I have the real one.”
He removed a key from evidence envelope his attorney carried.
Same shape.
Same B-17 stamp.
Two keys.
Maya examined both.
One modern reproduction.
One twenty-two years old.
The one hidden under Lily’s chair was reproduction.
Someone wanted Ethan searching for B-17.
Martin leaned closer.
“And whoever made that fake key knew something almost nobody knows.”
“What?”
“Cabinet B-17 never belonged to your father.”
Ethan frowned.
“Whose was it?”
May you like
Martin answered:
“Yours.”
