Chapter 5 - THE NOTEBOOK UNDER THE BED
Alice refused to let Victor into her home.
Not at first.
He stood outside her small brick apartment building on the South Side while she crossed her arms and stared at him.
"You think because you own half the city, you can walk into my living room?"
"No."
"Good."
"I think your husband may have left evidence connected to his death."
Alice's expression faltered.
Victor continued.
"If he did, it deserves to be examined by someone independent."
She studied him.
"Independent of you?"
"Yes."
For a long moment, she said nothing.
Then she stepped aside.
The apartment was small but warm.
A bookshelf stood beside the window.
Ben's drawings covered the refrigerator.
The kitchen smelled of cinnamon and fresh bread.
Victor looked around with an unfamiliar feeling.
Peace.
Not luxury.
Not silence.
Peace.
Alice noticed his expression.
"What?"
"Nothing."
She disappeared into the bedroom.
When she returned, she carried a battered leather notebook.
Daniel's name was written inside the cover.
Victor opened it.
The first pages contained ordinary calculations.
Construction estimates.
Payroll records.
Shipping costs.
Then the entries changed.
Names.
Dates.
Account numbers.
A repeated phrase.
PROJECT HARBORLINE — PHASE ZERO.
Victor's jaw tightened.
He turned another page.
There was a photograph clipped to the paper.
It showed Raymond Sloane standing beside a warehouse.
The same warehouse where Daniel died.
Behind them stood three men.
Victor recognized two.
The third was a city inspector who had signed the fire investigation report.
Victor looked at Alice.
"Did you know about this?"
She shook her head.
"Daniel told me to keep it safe. He said if anything happened, someone would come asking."
"Did anyone?"
Alice nodded.
"Twice."
"Who?"
"Men who said they worked for your company."
Victor closed the notebook.
His expression turned cold.
Alice stepped back.
"Are you angry?"
Victor looked at her.
"Yes."
She swallowed.
"At me?"
He shook his head.
"At the people who made you afraid to open your own front door."
Then Ben appeared in the hallway.
"Mom?"
Alice turned.
"What is it, sweetheart?"
Ben held up his red notebook.
"I found another drawing."
Victor looked at it.
And felt the blood drain from his face.
It was a floor plan of Harborline.
Not the old warehouse.
The new construction site.
May you like
And in the corner, Daniel had written a warning.
DO NOT BUILD ABOVE THE EAST FOUNDATION.
