Chapter 7
Daniel’s portrait key opened the north fitting room.
Clara’s key opened a door beneath the gallery floor.
Noah found it.
Again.
He pointed beneath the antique globe’s broken base.
“There.”
A tiny brass plate.
Marcus rushed forward.
Too late.
Victoria’s guards blocked him.
She inserted the key.
The marble panel clicked.
A narrow stairway descended.
Helena whispered:
“Daniel promised.”
Victoria turned.
“What did he promise?”
Silence.
Victoria smiled faintly.
Another answer.
She went down first.
The underground room was small.
No weapons.
No treasure.
Something more dangerous.
A council table.
A voice recorder.
Seven old signet pins.
And Daniel’s chair.
Victoria stopped.
Daniel had never told her this room existed.
Marcus laughed behind her.
“Your husband had secrets too.”
“Of course.”
He frowned.
She continued.
“The difference is you’re desperate for his to make yours acceptable.”
That landed.
Victoria pressed the recorder.
Daniel’s voice filled the room.
“If Victoria hears this, Helena moved earlier than I expected.”
Helena closed her eyes.
Marcus looked at her.
Daniel continued.
“My sister believes my death will return authority to her.”
Victoria’s breathing changed.
Eleven months.
Daniel had expected danger.
“She is wrong.”
Pause.
“The organization already follows Victoria because she earned it.”
Marcus whispered:
“Turn it off.”
No one moved.
Daniel’s voice continued.
“Marcus will call her an outsider.”
Victoria looked at him.
He went pale.
“Helena will use children because she always attacks what people cannot abandon.”
Noah pressed against Clara.
Helena’s face hardened.
Daniel:
“If she starts cataloging families, the black ledger will tell Victoria who she has approached.”
There it was.
Ledger decoded.
Daniel had built the markings himself.
Not Marcus.
The red slashes were men Helena had already contacted.
Black circles were men she intended to pressure.
Marcus had copied the list to accelerate the plan.
Then Daniel said:
“One more thing.”
Static.
A breath.
“If my portrait moves before the anniversary, Marcus knows what happened the night I died.”
The room became completely still.
Victoria looked at Marcus.
His face changed.
Not defiance.
Fear.
May you like
And Helena whispered:
“Daniel was supposed to take that to the grave.”
