Chapter 4 - The Discovery in the Study
An hour later.
The grand estate was silent. Rain began to tap gently against the massive stained-glass windows of the grand study.
I sat behind my father's heavy mahogany desk, wearing my dark Navy service jacket, sipping a warm cup of black tea.
General Vance stepped into the study, carrying an encrypted tablet.
"Harper," General Vance spoke softly, dropping his formal tone now that we were alone. "We swept the estate's private server rooms as you requested."
"What did you find, Marcus?" I asked, setting my cup down.
"Your mother and sister weren't just trying to throw an engagement party here," Marcus revealed, turning the tablet screen toward me. "They were preparing to sell the estate's underground emergency command vault to a private foreign security firm."
My eyes narrowed. "What?"
"Two weeks ago, Caroline signed a preliminary agreement with Vance-Tech Enterprises—Julian's father's firm," Marcus explained. "They believed the vault held classified defense blueprints left behind by your father. They were going to sell the access codes tonight for twenty million dollars."
I leaned back in my leather chair, a cold chill running down my spine.
My mother hadn't just been greedy—she had been plotting high treason against my father's memory and the nation he served.
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"Where are the access keys now?" I asked.
"Your mother hid them inside the estate's safe deposit box," Marcus said. "And she has a accomplice waiting in Washington."
