Chapter 7 - THE BLUE STAR'S SECRET
The storage device contained years of financial records.
Foundation accounts.
Land transfers.
False invoices.
Private communications.
And evidence that the Harrow family had used the Vale charitable foundation to conceal a network of fraudulent property acquisitions.
But one folder was different.
It was labeled:
ELEANOR – MEDICAL
Mara sat beside Gideon in his study while an independent forensic accountant examined the files.
The folder contained copies of pharmacy deliveries, medication logs, and messages between a private medical contractor and an executive associated with Harrow Capital.
Gideon stared at the screen.
His mother's medication had been altered.
Not once.
Repeatedly.
“Can this prove murder?” he asked.
The accountant shook his head.
“Not by itself. Investigators and medical experts would need to examine the records and determine what happened.”
Gideon nodded.
But his face had gone pale.
Another folder contained photographs of Thomas Whitlock.
Some were taken outside his office.
Others outside his home.
The final image showed his car on the mountain road where it was later found abandoned.
Mara covered her mouth.
“They were watching him.”
Gideon looked at her.
“Yes.”
Then the accountant opened a file marked:
PROJECT WINTERGLASS
Inside was a list of payments to private security contractors.
One name appeared repeatedly.
DANIEL HARROW.
Celeste's older brother.
Gideon knew him.
Forty-one.
A former military contractor.
A man who smiled too easily and carried himself like someone who enjoyed frightening people.
Mara leaned forward.
“That's the man who came to my father's office.”
Gideon looked at her.
“When?”
“Three weeks before he disappeared.”
She swallowed.
“Dad told me a man named Daniel offered him money to stop investigating.”
Gideon's jaw tightened.
“And he refused.”
Mara nodded.
Gideon looked at the files.
Then at the photograph of his mother.
For years, he'd believed Eleanor had died from natural causes.
Now he had evidence suggesting someone had interfered with her care.
And Thomas Whitlock had risked his life trying to preserve the truth.
He turned toward Mara.
“Your father didn't fail my mother.”
Her eyes filled.
Gideon continued.
“He protected her evidence.”
Mara looked down.
“And I almost lost it.”
Gideon shook his head.
“No.”
He took her hand.
“You brought it home.”
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Nathan entered.
His face was grim.
“Gideon.”
“What?”
“Detective Bell called.”
Gideon stood.
“They found Thomas Whitlock.”
Mara's breath caught.
“Alive?”
Nathan hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Yes.”
Mara began crying.
But Nathan wasn't smiling.
“He's in a hospital.”
Gideon's expression hardened.
“What happened?”
May you like
Nathan swallowed.
“Someone tried to kill him.”
