Dorothy woke before dawn.<\/p>\n
She had barely slept.<\/p>\n
The recording had changed the shape of the entire case. Until then, everything had been built from documents and recollections. Now they had Raymond's voice describing the plan while it was still unfolding.<\/p>\n
Most importantly, they had Leonard threatening him.<\/p>\n
Samuel arrived at six.<\/p>\n
The investigator was already waiting outside.<\/p>\n
Mark came shortly afterward.<\/p>\n
Alicia arrived last.<\/p>\n
Dorothy opened the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou shouldn't come.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why are you here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I know where Charles kept his old files.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
Alicia hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn office he rented before he opened his current practice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoes he still have access?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are you telling us?\u201d<\/p>\n
Alicia looked at Dorothy.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I lied for too long.\u201d<\/p>\n
They left for the county archive.<\/p>\n
The building was nearly empty.<\/p>\n
A clerk met them at the entrance.<\/p>\n
Samuel presented the authorization.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe're looking for archived property filings and development records connected to the Hale property.\u201d<\/p>\n
The clerk disappeared into the records room.<\/p>\n
Dorothy waited.<\/p>\n
Five minutes passed.<\/p>\n
Then ten.<\/p>\n
Finally, the clerk returned carrying three boxes.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of these records were never digitized.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel thanked him.<\/p>\n
They began searching.<\/p>\n
The first box contained ordinary property documents.<\/p>\n
The second contained development proposals.<\/p>\n
The third contained old correspondence.<\/p>\n
Dorothy found Raymond's name.<\/p>\n
Then Leonard's.<\/p>\n
Then Daniel's.<\/p>\n
A letter dated fifteen years earlier caught her attention.<\/p>\n
Raymond had written to the county board.<\/p>\n
He warned them about a proposed development scheme involving the lake corridor.<\/p>\n
At the bottom was a note from a county official.<\/p>\n
\u201cFile transferred to special review.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is the special review file?\u201d<\/p>\n
The clerk checked the reference number.<\/p>\n
He looked uncomfortable.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt says restricted.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel asked to speak with the records supervisor.<\/p>\n
While they waited, Dorothy opened another folder.<\/p>\n
Inside was a photocopy of a contract.<\/p>\n
The original signatures were visible.<\/p>\n
One belonged to Leonard.<\/p>\n
Another belonged to a company Dorothy didn't recognize.<\/p>\n
The third belonged to someone named Arthur Cross.<\/p>\n
Dorothy looked at Alicia.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you know this name?\u201d<\/p>\n
Alicia shook her head.<\/p>\n
Samuel did.<\/p>\n
\u201cArthur Cross was a former investor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened to him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe disappeared from the business records.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMeaning?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHis company dissolved.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy stared at the contract.<\/p>\n
Then she noticed a handwritten notation.<\/p>\n
\u201cPaid in full.\u201d<\/p>\n
The date was the day before Raymond and Daniel dissolved their company.<\/p>\n
Dorothy suddenly understood.<\/p>\n
Raymond had not left the business because it failed.<\/p>\n
He had left because he had discovered where the money was going.<\/p>\n
The supervisor arrived.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you looking for?\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel explained.<\/p>\n
The supervisor looked at the file numbers.<\/p>\n
Then he said quietly, \u201cSome of these documents were removed years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBy whom?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCounty order.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho requested the removal?\u201d<\/p>\n
The supervisor hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cCharles Benton.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy felt her stomach tighten.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had authority?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot officially.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why?\u201d<\/p>\n
The supervisor lowered his voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe knew someone on the board.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel looked at Dorothy.<\/p>\n
Another piece.<\/p>\n
Another connection.<\/p>\n
They requested copies of everything remaining.<\/p>\n
Then Mark found a map.<\/p>\n
It showed the lake corridor.<\/p>\n
Seventeen properties.<\/p>\n
The exact properties Leonard had been targeting.<\/p>\n
Dorothy studied the map.<\/p>\n
There was one property marked differently.<\/p>\n
Her own.<\/p>\n
A red line surrounded it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does this mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
The clerk looked at it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel took a photograph.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt means your property was the gateway.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy nodded.<\/p>\n
Then Alicia pointed to a handwritten note at the bottom.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat's that?\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel read it.<\/p>\n
\u201cTransfer priority.\u201d<\/p>\n
The property had been designated first.<\/p>\n
Dorothy felt a chill.<\/p>\n
They had not started with her because she was vulnerable.<\/p>\n
They had started with her because she was strategically necessary.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, the archive door opened.<\/p>\n
Leonard Vale walked in.<\/p>\n
Dorothy turned.<\/p>\n
He looked directly at her.<\/p>\n
For a moment, neither spoke.<\/p>\n
Then Leonard smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou've been busy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel stepped forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou shouldn't be here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI have every right to access public records.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot these.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leonard glanced at the boxes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI see you've found some old history.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHistory you tried to erase.\u201d<\/p>\n
His smile faded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don't understand what you're dealing with.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think this is about money.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou wanted control.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leonard's eyes hardened.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Raymond wouldn't give it to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wouldn't give it to me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou heard the recording.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy stepped closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou threatened him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leonard said nothing.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you hurt him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you arrange for someone else to?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy studied him.<\/p>\n
His answer came too quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew he would be attacked.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leonard's face changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew nothing about an attack.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why did you tell Charles we needed to move after the recording was found?\u201d<\/p>\n
Leonard stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou've been listening.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou made the mistake of assuming everyone around you was loyal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leonard looked toward Alicia.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou betrayed us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alicia's face went pale.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think these people will protect you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy stepped between them.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon't threaten her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leonard laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou still think you can control this.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy held up the recorder.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can no longer control what you've already said.\u201d<\/p>\n
The investigator approached.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Vale, we'd like you to come with us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leonard looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cAm I being arrested?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot at this moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leonard smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I'll leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
The investigator did not stop him.<\/p>\n
But as Leonard passed Dorothy, he whispered something.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou still haven't found what Raymond hid.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy turned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
He kept walking.<\/p>\n
Samuel watched him leave.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe knows about another piece.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy looked at the boxes.<\/p>\n
They searched for hours.<\/p>\n
Near the bottom of the third box, Mark found a small envelope.<\/p>\n
No name.<\/p>\n
Only three words.<\/p>\n
FOR DOROTHY \u2014 LAST.<\/p>\n
Inside was a key.<\/p>\n
And a note.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe truth is not in the house. It is where the house began.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy stared at the key.<\/p>\n
Samuel recognized it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe old company office.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel's office.<\/p>\n
The place where the story had started.<\/p>\n
The place Raymond and Daniel had once worked.<\/p>\n
Dorothy closed her hand around the key.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen that's where we go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dorothy woke before dawn. She had barely slept. The recording had changed the shape of the entire case. Until then, everything had been built from documents and recollections. Now they … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9218,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insightdrama"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9232"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9232\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9252,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9232\/revisions\/9252"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9218"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}