Chapter 9: The House on Blackwood Hill
The old Cole estate stood empty on Blackwood Hill.
Adrian had not visited since his father’s funeral.
Grant claimed the house had become too expensive to maintain, but the property had never been sold.
Maya drove Adrian, Hannah, and Caleb there after midnight.
Hannah was still weak, but she refused to remain behind.
“The vault requires two people,” she said. “Your father designed it that way.”
Inside the library, Adrian found a hidden keyhole beneath his father’s desk.
Hannah inserted the key.
A panel opened behind the fireplace.
The passage beyond was narrow. Maya helped Adrian into a portable chair while Caleb carried a flashlight.
At the bottom of the passage stood a steel door with two hand scanners.
One recognized Adrian.
The other recognized Hannah.
The vault opened.
Inside were boxes of documents, recordings, and sealed legal files.
A video monitor activated automatically.
William Cole appeared on the screen.
He looked ill but fully alert.
“Adrian,” he said, “if you are watching this, Grant has gone farther than I feared.”
Adrian held his breath.
His father explained that Grant had been moving company money through hidden accounts for years. William planned to expose him and transfer control to Adrian.
“I trusted your brother with power,” William said. “He confused that trust with ownership.”
The recording included bank transfers, names of officials, and evidence that Dr. Hale had received millions from a shell company controlled by Grant.
Then William mentioned Hannah.
“She knows where the final ledger is.”
Adrian turned to her.
“I don’t.”
Before Hannah could explain, the monitor changed.
A live security image appeared.
Several vehicles were approaching the estate.
Grant’s vehicles.
Maya checked her weapon.
“How did he find us?”
Hannah looked toward Caleb.
The boy reached into his pocket and removed the medication bottle found in their apartment.
A tiny red light blinked beneath the label.
“A tracker,” Maya said.
The front doors opened upstairs.
Grant’s voice echoed through the house.
“Adrian, I know you’re down there.”
The vault door began closing automatically.
May you like
William’s recording continued.
“One final warning. Grant is dangerous, but he is not the person who ordered your crash.”
