CHAP 4 — MADELEINE’S LAST INSURANCE
The recorder was older than Oliver’s imprisonment.
Forensics confirmed it before sunrise.
The serial number dated back almost three years.
Madeleine had hidden it.
Conrad sat in the library at 5:17 a.m. while a digital-evidence technician created a forensic copy of the microSD card.
Oliver slept upstairs with two police officers outside the room and Hannah in a chair beside the bed.
Vivian had been taken downtown for questioning.
Not arrested.
Her lawyer had made certain of that.
Marcus was missing.
Graham Barrett was missing.
Dr. Adrian Reed could not be located.
Three important people had vanished in one night.
Conrad stared through the windows at the first gray light over the Hudson.
Detective Ortiz entered.
“We found something about the funeral.”
Conrad turned.
“There was no autopsy.”
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
She placed documents on the desk.
“There was no body identified as Oliver Sterling at the crematory either.”
Conrad frowned.
“He wasn’t cremated.”
“Exactly.”
“What are you saying?”
“The burial permit lists a sealed coffin due to infectious-risk protocol. The funeral home received documentation instructing that the casket not be opened.”
Conrad remembered.
He had begged.
He had wanted to see his son one final time.
Vivian told him it would be too traumatic.
Doctor Reed told him the injuries were severe.
Graham told him to remember Oliver as he had been.
Conrad had listened.
“What was in the coffin?”
“We don’t know yet.”
He stared at Ortiz.
“Open it.”
“We’ll obtain the order.”
“Open it today.”
Her expression softened slightly.
“We will.”
The technician looked up from the computer.
“We have files.”
Conrad crossed the room.
Dozens of audio recordings appeared.
Some were recent.
Some predated the accident.
One file was labeled M.S._0614.
Madeleine Sterling.
June 14.
Two weeks before the crash.
The technician pressed play.
Madeleine’s voice filled the room.
“If you’re hearing this, I was right to be afraid.”
Conrad gripped the edge of the desk.
“I don’t know how much time I have. Graham has been moving money through Halcyon Meridian for four years. Vivian knows. Marcus knows. I think there are others.”
Ortiz wrote quickly.
Madeleine continued.
“Conrad won’t believe me without proof. Graham is his brother in every way except blood.”
Conrad closed his eyes.
She had been right.
“I found transfers connected to the Sterling Foundation. At first I thought Vivian was covering for Graham. I was wrong.”
Static.
Then:
“She is helping him.”
Conrad looked toward the screen.
Madeleine’s voice softened.
“If something happens to me, protect Oliver. They cannot complete what they’re doing while he remains Conrad’s legal heir.”
The recording ended.
Conrad turned to the technician.
“Next.”
Another file.
Madeleine again.
“Halcyon Meridian isn’t only stealing money. They’re buying Sterling debt through shell companies. If Conrad becomes emotionally or medically incapacitated, Graham can force an emergency board vote.”
Ortiz looked up.
“Your company’s bylaws?”
Conrad understood immediately.
“Temporary executive incapacity.”
“Who assumes control?”
“CFO.”
Graham.
The technician opened another recording.
This one contained Graham’s voice.
“…doesn’t need to die. He needs to break.”
Vivian answered.
“And the boy?”
“Conrad’s entire identity is built around being his father. Take that away and he’ll sign anything put in front of him.”
Conrad felt something inside himself fracture.
They had not kidnapped Oliver because of Oliver.
They had kidnapped him to destroy Conrad.
Vivian said, “Madeleine is becoming a problem.”
Graham replied, “Then solve Madeleine.”
Silence followed.
Nobody in the library moved.
Detective Ortiz finally spoke.
“This isn’t only kidnapping.”
Conrad stared at the waveform.
“No.”
His voice was barely audible.
“It’s murder.”
The technician raised a hand.
“There’s one more thing.”
He opened the device directory.
“A group of recent recordings is missing.”
“Deleted?”
“No.”
“Then where are they?”
“Encrypted.”
Conrad looked at Oliver’s recorder.
“Can you open them?”
“Eventually.”
A phone rang.
Ortiz answered.
Her expression changed.
“What?”
She listened.
Then looked at Conrad.
“They found Dr. Reed.”
“Where?”
“JFK.”
Conrad stood.
“Trying to leave?”
Ortiz shook her head.
“He wasn’t trying to leave.”
May you like
“What happened?”
“He was found unconscious in the trunk of his own car.”
