Chapter 7 - WHAT ROMAN’S FATHER LEFT BEHIND
Keller's death changed the investigation.
Police found evidence suggesting he had been trying to flee Chicago.
His car was discovered near the river.
His phone was missing.
His wallet remained in his pocket.
Roman refused to speculate publicly.
But privately, he understood the danger.
Victor was eliminating people who knew too much.
Emily learned about Keller's death from Gabriel.
She sat down.
“He was awful,” she whispered.
Gabriel nodded.
“But he didn't deserve that.”
“No.”
Emily looked toward the window.
“Victor won't stop.”
Gabriel didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
***
Roman met with federal investigators that afternoon.
He turned over the ledger.
The hidden account records.
The archived payroll files.
And correspondence connecting Victor to the fraudulent benefit reserve.
His attorney warned him that some records could expose the Bellini companies to serious liability.
Roman signed the disclosure authorization anyway.
Then he asked for an independent review of every employee pension account.
He wanted the money returned.
With interest.
His chief financial officer stared.
“That could cost tens of millions.”
Roman looked at him.
“Then calculate it accurately.”
“Sir—”
“They earned it.”
***
Emily spent the evening with Margaret.
The older woman was recovering slowly.
Her memory came and went.
Sometimes she remembered the hidden archives.
Sometimes she forgot the year.
But when Emily showed her Nora Whitfield's photograph, Margaret began crying.
“Nora tried to help.”
“What happened?”
“She found the second ledger.”
“We found it.”
Margaret shook her head.
“No.”
Emily frowned.
“The one beneath the floor?”
Margaret gripped her hand.
“That was the old one.”
Emily felt cold.
“There's another?”
Margaret nodded.
“The new one.”
“Where?”
Margaret closed her eyes.
For a moment, Emily thought she had fallen asleep.
Then she whispered:
“Ask Samuel.”
***
Samuel Price had worked at the Bellini Grand for forty-three years.
He knew every guest entrance.
Every delivery corridor.
Every private elevator.
He also knew things nobody thought to ask him.
When Emily approached, he was standing beneath the awning.
“Samuel?”
He smiled.
“Miss Emily.”
“Margaret told me to ask you about a second ledger.”
His smile disappeared.
He looked toward the street.
“Not here.”
They walked into a quiet storage room.
Samuel closed the door.
“Margaret asked me to keep something safe.”
“What?”
“A package.”
“Where is it?”
Samuel hesitated.
“I promised I wouldn't give it to management.”
Emily looked at him.
“I'm not management.”
He smiled faintly.
“No. You're not.”
He opened an old uniform cabinet.
Behind a false panel was a metal box.
Inside lay a flash drive.
Samuel handed it to Emily.
“She said if anything happened to her, I should give it to someone who still remembered people's names.”
Emily's eyes filled.
Samuel touched her shoulder.
May you like
“She meant you.”
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