CHAPTER 6 — THE FATHER'S ARREST
The first thing I learned about my father's arrest was that the world moved faster than grief.
By the time we reached the upper floor, every television in the mansion was already showing his face.
Jonathan Vale.
Billionaire.
Industrialist.
Philanthropist.
Founder.
Father.
Suspect.
The headline changed every few seconds.
VALE EMPIRE ROCKED BY FEDERAL INVESTIGATION
JONATHAN VALE ARRESTED
BILLIONAIRE ACCUSED OF FINANCIAL CRIMES
MERIDIAN CONNECTIONS UNDER INVESTIGATION
I stood in the hallway and watched the footage.
My father was being led through the front entrance of the estate.
Hundreds of reporters waited outside the gates.
Cameras flashed.
Microphones pushed toward him.
Questions screamed over each other.
“Mr. Vale, did you steal from investors?”
“Did you operate an offshore network?”
“Is Meridian Circle real?”
“Where is your wife?”
My body went cold.
I looked at my mother.
She had gone pale.
Daniel stood beside her.
Nobody spoke.
Then a reporter shouted the question that made me stop breathing.
“WHERE IS CLAIRE VALE?”
The camera turned toward the mansion.
I stepped backward.
“They know.”
Daniel nodded.
“They always knew.”
“No.”
I looked at him.
“They didn't know I was here.”
“They know now.”
The television cut to a live shot of the estate.
Police vehicles surrounded the property.
Federal agents stood at every gate.
News helicopters circled overhead.
And beneath the headline, another line appeared.
CLAIRE VALE — PRIMARY BENEFICIARY OF VALE TRUST — MISSING
I stared.
“Missing?”
Daniel nodded.
“According to the public records, you disappeared tonight.”
“But I'm here.”
“Not officially.”
“Why?”
“Because Dad removed your legal presence from the estate's security system.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“He knew they would search for you.”
My mother looked at me.
“Your father wanted the world to believe you were somewhere else.”
“Why?”
“So no one would come looking here.”
I looked through the window.
There were already dozens of people looking.
The plan had failed.
Or perhaps it had worked differently than he intended.
A knock came from the hallway.
Victor Hale entered.
The head of my father's security team looked older than he had an hour ago.
“Ms. Vale.”
“What happened?”
“The federal agents have taken control of the property.”
“Are they coming inside?”
“They're already inside.”
My mother stiffened.
Victor continued.
“They have warrants.”
“For what?”
“Financial records.”
“Computer systems.”
“Documents.”
“And you?”
“They ordered my team to stand down.”
I looked at him.
“Will you?”
Victor's expression didn't change.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because my orders came from your father.”
My father.
Always my father.
“What were his orders?”
Victor hesitated.
“Protect you.”
I almost laughed.
“Of course.”
He looked at me.
“There's something else.”
“What?”
“Your father left instructions.”
“For me?”
“Yes.”
Victor pulled a sealed envelope from inside his jacket.
My name was written on it.
I opened it.
Inside was a single sentence.
If they arrest me, go to Blackwell Tower. Do not trust anyone there.
I stared at it.
“That doesn't make sense.”
Victor nodded.
“I thought the same.”
“Why would Dad send me to the Blackwells?”
“He didn't say.”
“Then how do you know the note is genuine?”
Victor looked at my mother.
She nodded.
“It is.”
I folded the note.
“What's at Blackwell Tower?”
Daniel answered.
“Something Dad wants you to find.”
“What?”
“I don't know.”
I looked at him.
“You're my brother.”
“Yes.”
“You've spent sixteen years investigating this.”
“Yes.”
“And you don't know?”
“No.”
I sighed.
“Great.”
Victor looked toward the staircase.
“We have another problem.”
“What?”
“Someone has breached the west gate.”
Daniel immediately reached for his weapon.
“Federal?”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
“Who?”
“Private security.”
“Whose?”
Victor's face hardened.
“Ashford.”
The room went silent.
My mother whispered:
“They're here.”
The mansion lights suddenly flickered.
Then every television changed.
The news disappeared.
A black screen appeared.
A single white circle.
Three lines crossed through it.
Meridian.
A voice followed.
“Good evening, Claire.”
I froze.
The voice was male.
Calm.
Older.
Almost pleasant.
“You've had a very difficult night.”
Daniel stepped toward the television.
“Victor.”
The voice laughed softly.
“Hello, Daniel.”
My brother's jaw tightened.
“You should have stayed dead.”
“So should your sister.”
My mother stepped forward.
“Leave her alone.”
The voice changed.
“You always did mistake hiding for protection, Evelyn.”
My mother went still.
I looked at her.
The voice continued.
“Jonathan made the same mistake.”
“Who are you?”
I asked.
The voice paused.
Then:
“You know me.”
“I don't.”
“You've seen my photograph.”
Victor's expression changed.
I understood.
“Victor Ashford.”
Silence.
Then a quiet laugh.
“Yes.”
The screen changed.
A photograph appeared.
Victor Ashford.
Older.
Silver hair.
Dark eyes.
A thin scar along his jaw.
He looked directly into the camera.
“I've been waiting a long time to meet you, Claire.”
“Why?”
“Because you have something that belongs to me.”
“I don't have anything of yours.”
“That's where you're wrong.”
The screen changed again.
A financial document appeared.
My name.
The Vale Trust.
A series of numbers.
Then a total.
I stared.
Victor Ashford spoke.
“The inheritance.”
“I don't care about your money.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because you are the key.”
“To what?”
“The Circle.”
My mother stepped forward.
“Victor, this ends tonight.”
He laughed.
“No, Evelyn.”
“It begins tonight.”
The screen went black.
The lights returned.
I looked at Daniel.
“What did he mean?”
Daniel didn't answer.
Victor Hale did.
“He means the network has activated.”
“What happens now?”
Victor looked at the television.
“Now everyone who wants the trust will come for you.”
I took a breath.
“Then let them.”
My mother stared at me.
“Claire.”
“No.”
I looked at her.
“I'm done running.”
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“You don't know what you're saying.”
“I know exactly what I'm saying.”
I looked around the room.
“At thirty-one, I was apparently dead, missing, protected, monitored, and lied to.”
I laughed bitterly.
“And somehow I'm still expected to sit quietly while everyone else decides what happens to me.”
Nobody answered.
I turned toward Victor.
“Get the car.”
“Where?”
“Blackwell Tower.”
Daniel immediately shook his head.
“No.”
“Dad told me to go.”
“Dad was arrested.”
“Exactly.”
“He may have been forced to write that.”
“Then I'll find out.”
Daniel stepped in front of me.
“Claire, Blackwell Tower is a trap.”
“Probably.”
“Then why go?”
“Because whatever is inside that building is important enough for my father to send me there after his arrest.”
My mother looked at the note.
“There may be another reason.”
“What?”
She pointed to the bottom.
I looked.
There was a number written beneath the sentence.
17-04-83
The same number from the original invitation.
My father's code.
My birth date.
Or the date everyone claimed I was born.
I stared at it.
Daniel's face changed.
“That's not a coincidence.”
“No.”
I folded the paper.
“Then we're going.”
Victor Hale nodded.
“I'll prepare the vehicle.”
“No.”
He stopped.
“I want Daniel.”
My brother looked surprised.
“And Adrian.”
Silence.
Daniel stared at me.
“You trust him?”
“No.”
“Then why bring him?”
“Because someone took a photograph of him signing a transfer agreement.”
I looked toward the television.
“And I want to know why.”
My mother shook her head.
“Adrian isn't here.”
“Where is he?”
Victor answered.
“Gone.”
“When?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
“Did he leave the estate?”