Chapter 14
"He's been preparing for this for a long time," Martin said.
"If anyone ever looked close enough, it would point at you, not him." He looked at Harold directly.
"That changes the urgency.
Tomorrow isn't soon enough.
Patricia needs everything tonight."
Harold stood.
"Then let's go," he said.
---
## CHAPTER 7: The Morning Victor Came
They were at Martin's office by midnight.
Patricia Voss arrived twenty-two minutes later with a laptop, two associates, and the particular focus of a woman who had been waiting for exactly this kind of call for the better part of her career.
She shook Harold's hand once, looked at the photographs, read Thomas Hale's notes, and then sat down and did not look up for three hours.
Lily slept on the office sofa under Martin's coat.
Anna sat in the chair beside Harold, and Harold didn't suggest she sleep, and she didn't try.
At two forty in the morning, Patricia set down her coffee and said, "Meridian Trust has been active for eleven years.
It has received and distributed a total of four point three million dollars.
Every transaction is logged under Harold Walton's user credentials."
Harold's hand tightened on the arm of his chair.
"Victor had access to my credentials," he said.
"He's managed my accounts since I gave him the division."
"I know.
That's what makes this both dangerous and useful." Patricia turned her laptop so Harold could see the screen.
"Every transaction has a secondary authorization key.
A second set of credentials used to confirm each transfer.
They're masked — deliberately — but they can be traced." She paused.
"I've already traced two of them."
May you like
She pointed at the screen.
The secondary authorization code resolved to a user account registered to Walton Holdings Eastern Division Management Access — Victor Walton, authorized user.
