Chapter 6 - The Paper Trail
Elena spent her mornings at the public library, utilizing the free internet terminals to research the Meridian Trust and Victoria’s financial network. What she found was a labyrinth of shell companies, delinquent property taxes on a foreign estate, and three pending lawsuits from private art dealers in New York. Victoria wasn't just broke; she was drowning in debts that would come due before the end of the fiscal quarter.
"You’re looking in the wrong place," a quiet voice spoke from behind her.
Elena turned to find Marcus standing in the aisle, an oversized jacket pulled up around his chin. He pulled a yellow receipt from his pocket and slid it across the wooden desk.
"What is this?" Elena asked.
"It’s the work order from the day after the incident," Marcus whispered. "Victoria hired a private courier service to pick up a package from the estate at 6:00 AM. It wasn't delivered to Meridian Trust. She routed it to an archival storage facility out by the county airport—a place called Iron Gate Vaults. They don't ask questions. You pay cash, you get a locker, and you open it with a four-digit mechanical code."
Elena picked up the paper. "Why are you helping me, Marcus? Yesterday you wanted me out of your garage."
"Because I couldn't sleep," the young man said, his face twitching with nervous tension. "I have a two-year-old sister. I saw the news segment they ran about the Vance family last night—the photo of that baby. If something happens to that kid because I wanted twenty grand to pay off my shop tools, I won't be able to look in a mirror for the rest of my life."
"Can you get us inside?"
"I can't break into Iron Gate," Marcus said, shaking his head. "Their physical security is ex-military. But I still have the client delivery duplicate. The delivery was addressed to her personal business name: 'Vance Heritage Consulting.' She used a standard default PIN for all her electronic accounts when I set up her home network. Her late father’s birth year: 1958."
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Elena folded the slip and placed it inside her collar pocket. "If we do this, Brandon will know you were involved in the original blackout."
Marcus let out a short, bitter laugh. "He’s going to find out anyway. I’d rather face him with the truth in my hand than wait for his lawyers to hunt me down when Victoria’s house of cards collapses."
