Chapter 7 - THE NAME ON THE MISSING CONTRACT
Arthur Ashford had not died because he discovered an unsafe staircase.
That was the official story.
The truth began emerging when Samuel Voss was located in a retirement community outside Albany.
Maya accompanied Elena.
Nikolai did not.
Elena insisted.
Voss was seventy-six, thin, and trembling.
When he saw Elena, his expression changed.
"Arthur's daughter."
"Yes."
He looked toward the door.
"Who sent you?"
"Nobody."
"Castellane?"
"No."
That seemed to surprise him.
Elena sat across from him.
"My father died eleven years ago. I want to know why."
Voss closed his eyes.
"I signed the report."
"I know."
"It wasn't accurate."
Elena felt the room tilt.
"Why?"
"Because they threatened my family."
"Who?"
Voss swallowed.
"Bellman Urban Holdings."
Elena leaned forward.
"Martin Bellman?"
"His father, Richard."
The name was unfamiliar.
Voss explained.
Richard Bellman had been a powerful developer with connections throughout city government.
Arthur discovered that structural defects had been concealed in several residential buildings.
The problem wasn't one unsafe property.
It was a network of fraudulent inspections.
Hundreds of apartments.
Thousands of residents.
Arthur intended to report everything.
Three days later, he fell.
"Did somebody push him?" Elena whispered.
Voss began crying.
"I didn't see it."
"But you knew the report was false."
"Yes."
"Why didn't you come forward?"
"My grandson was six."
Elena stared.
Voss covered his face.
"They sent me photographs of him walking to school."
Elena understood that kind of fear.
She hated that she understood.
Then Voss reached into his coat.
He removed an old envelope.
"I kept one thing."
Inside was a photocopy of Arthur's final inspection report.
On the last page were three signatures.
Arthur Ashford.
Richard Bellman.
And Nikolai Castellane.
Elena stopped breathing.
***
She returned to the guesthouse after midnight.
Nikolai was waiting outside.
Not inside.
He saw her face.
"What happened?"
Elena held out the report.
"Explain this."
He read it.
His expression changed.
"Where did you get this?"
"Samuel Voss."
Nikolai stared at the signature.
"That's mine."
"I can see that."
"But I never signed this report."
Elena laughed bitterly.
"Of course."
"Elena."
"No."
She stepped backward.
"I believed you."
"I didn't sign it."
"Then prove it."
Nikolai looked at her.
For the first time, he had no immediate answer.
Elena walked inside.
Then locked the door.
He did not follow.
That night, she slept without the chair against the door.
But she cried harder than she had on the first night.
Because trusting someone again had felt like a victory.
May you like
And now she wasn't sure whether it had been another mistake.
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