Chapter 23 - Victor Disappeared Again
Victor disappeared on a Tuesday.
Marcus almost ignored it.
His brother had a history of dramatic absences.
Then Rebecca called.
“Victor left me a key.”
“To what?”
“A storage unit.”
They opened it together.
Inside were boxes from Richard’s private archive.
Victor had been investigating independently.
Again.
One box was labeled ELLIS PROJECT.
Marcus knew the name.
Whitmore Enterprises had developed an affordable housing complex fifteen years earlier.
Adrian’s father had worked on financing.
Sarah joined.
Documents showed project funds diverted through shell entities.
Not by Richard.
By Victor.
Marcus stared.
“He stole?”
Rebecca shook her head.
“Look closer.”
Victor routed money into a whistleblower escrow account.
He had discovered Richard and Daniel’s schemes years earlier and built a reserve to compensate victims if he died.
“Then why fake his death?”
Sarah answered.
“To keep investigating.”
But there was another account.
Thirty million dollars.
Still active.
Victor had recently withdrawn ten million.
Marcus felt dread.
“Where did it go?”
Transfer destination: HARBOR LIGHT INITIATIVE.
Unknown entity.
Then Victor called.
Video.
He appeared inside a plain motel room.
“Marcus.”
“Where the hell are you?”
“Safe.”
“You’ve used that word before.”
“I need you to listen.”
Victor had created Harbor Light with Rebecca’s trust lawyers to compensate families harmed by old Whitmore schemes.
“Why secretly?”
“Because Catherine would seize the funds during litigation.”
Rebecca stared.
“You used my lawyers?”
“One.”
“Who?”
Victor named Olivia Dane.
Sarah froze.
“Dane?”
Marcus immediately thought of Marcus Dane? Wait, old figure not in this story. Here new unrelated? Better connect Daniel? Let's make Olivia Daniel Vale's former attorney? But no, keep.
Olivia Dane was the daughter of a former Whitmore CFO convicted years ago.
She had motive.
Maybe Victor trusted wrong person.
The call cut suddenly.
Sarah traced it.
Motel room found empty.
Blood on pillow.
Again.
Marcus cursed.
But this time cameras captured a woman leaving with Victor.
Olivia Dane.
Voluntarily.
Then Harbor Light’s ten million vanished offshore.
Rebecca whispered, “He got played.”
Marcus looked at the footage.
May you like
Victor had spent years believing he was the smartest liar in the family.
Someone had finally lied better.
