Chapter 12 - The Missing LedgerNia’s arrest became national news by sunset.
HEIRESS ARRESTED IN CLIMBING SABOTAGE.
BLAKE FORTUNE MURDER PLOT.
SISTER ACCUSED OF CUTTING BROTHER’S ROPE.
Ethan turned off the television.
He had no interest in seeing his family reduced to a headline.
Then the phone calls started.
Board members.
Lawyers.
Investors.
Reporters.
Employees.
Blake Meridian had debt agreements containing reputation and control provisions.
Banks wanted reassurance.
Partners wanted explanations.
The board called an emergency meeting.
Ethan sat at the head of the table because sixty percent voting control suddenly felt less like inheritance and more like punishment.
Chief Financial Officer Dana Kessler presented the problem.
“Marcus’s shell companies appear in older transactions than we knew.”
“How old?”
“Eight years.”
Ethan frowned.
“He hadn’t even joined Blake Meridian then.”
“He was consulting.”
“For Dad?”
“Yes.”
Dana opened another document.
“There are payments from a company called Northstar Development Advisory.”
Ethan recognized the name.
Victor used Northstar during a controversial municipal redevelopment project.
“How much?”
“Approximately four million over six years.”
“For what?”
“We don’t know.”
“Ask accounting.”
“We did.”
“And?”
Dana looked around the table.
“The ledger is missing.”
Ethan stared.
“Missing how?”
“Deleted from the active system and removed from archived records.”
“You can’t simply delete corporate accounting.”
“No. Which means someone with administrative privileges deliberately altered retention.”
“When?”
“Two weeks before Victor died.”
The room went quiet.
Ethan asked, “Who had privileges?”
“Four people.”
“Names.”
Dana hesitated.
“Victor Blake. Me. Nia Blake.”
“And?”
“Marcus Vale.”
“He’d already been fired.”
“His credentials should have been disabled.”
“Should have been?”
Dana swallowed.
“They weren’t.”
Ethan pushed back from the table.
For years, everyone had assumed the scandal began with Marcus stealing money.
Now it appeared Marcus’s access predated his employment.
Claire waited outside the boardroom.
“You look terrible.”
“You keep saying that.”
“I’ve only said it twice.”
“Feels like a family tradition.”
They walked toward the elevators.
“Nia wants to see you,” Claire said.
Ethan stopped.
“How do you know?”
“Medina called.”
“Why you?”
“Because Nia refused to speak until she knew you were alive.”
Ethan laughed bitterly.
“She knew I was alive when she ran.”
“People become complicated when consequences arrive.”
“She tried to kill me.”
“Yes.”
“And now she needs emotional closure?”
“No.”
Claire looked directly at him.
“She says Marcus has something from your father that can destroy Blake Meridian.”
Ethan’s anger faded.
“What?”
“A ledger.”
He stared at her.
“How would she know that?”
“She saw it.”
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
The county jail interview room smelled of disinfectant and old coffee.
Nia entered wearing dark blue jail clothes.
Her hair, normally immaculate, hung loosely around her face.
Ethan saw the bruise from the cabin photograph.
He hated that he cared.
Nia sat across from him.
For almost a minute, neither spoke.
Then Ethan said, “You cut my rope.”
Nia’s eyes filled immediately.
“Yes.”
No denial.
No explanation.
No excuse.
Ethan gripped the edge of the table.
“You watched me fall.”
“Yes.”
“You could have activated the backup.”
“Yes.”
“And you didn’t.”
Her voice cracked.
“No.”
Ethan stood.
“I can’t do this.”
“Marcus has Dad’s ledger.”
He stopped.
Nia continued.
“Sit down.”
“I’m not taking orders from you.”
“Then stand.”
She wiped her face.
“Three years ago I saw a paper ledger in Dad’s private office. Northstar Development. Payments, names, dates, percentages.”
“What names?”
“I didn’t read enough.”
“Why?”
“Dad caught me.”
“What did he say?”
“He told me it was none of my business.”
“That never stopped you.”
“He burned it.”
Ethan stared.
“No. If Marcus has it—”
“Dad burned a copy.”
“How do you know?”
“Because afterward Marcus told me the original was safe.”
“Why would he tell you that?”
“Because he wanted me afraid of Dad.”
Nia leaned closer.
“He said the ledger proved Dad paid public officials through consultants.”
Ethan’s stomach dropped.
“Bribes?”
“I don’t know.”
“You just said—”
“I said what Marcus told me.”
“Do you believe him?”
Nia looked away.
“I believed everything he told me.”
“Do you now?”
“No.”
Ethan sat again.
“Where’s the ledger?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why am I here?”
“Because Marcus said something at the cabin.”
“What?”
Nia looked at her brother.
“He said if the mountain plan failed, he still had a way to take Blake Meridian.”
Ethan waited.
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Nia swallowed.
“He said Dad left him enough evidence to burn the company down.”
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