The Night of the Missing Ledger
Chapter 09 - The Night of the Missing Ledger
The financial review uncovered a ledger hidden among routine warehouse invoices. Its entries linked Raymond's companies to payments intended to buy silence and influence. Some appeared to fund household employees' abrupt departures; others corresponded to the false renovations at the ferry warehouse. Investigators moved carefully, separating proven facts from suspicions. Victor learned that wanting Raymond guilty was not the same as proving it.
Raymond, meanwhile, began telling business partners that Victor's grief had made him unstable. A photograph of the destroyed restaurant appeared online with captions claiming that Victor couldn't control his own family. Anonymous sources described Matthew as dangerous. Hannah saw the posts after midnight and felt physically ill. Six years old, and strangers were turning a frightened child into entertainment.
With her lawyer's help, Hannah asked social-media accounts to remove identifying details about Matthew. Victor declined requests for interviews. Instead, he released a brief statement asking people to respect his son's privacy and confirmed that the family was cooperating with investigators. Raymond had expected an angry public confrontation. Victor's restraint seemed to make him even more furious.
The following Friday, Raymond appeared at the bakery just before closing. Mrs. Kaplan asked him to leave when he tried to approach Hannah behind the counter. 'I want to clear the air,' he said. Hannah stayed beside the register. 'You can speak to my lawyer.' Raymond's blue ring flashed beneath the lights. 'You think Victor will protect you forever?' Mrs. Kaplan stepped between them. 'Out.' Raymond laughed and complied, but his face held no humor.
Hannah wrote down the time and what he'd said. At home she found Denise reading the newspaper. 'Do you regret helping that boy?' her mother asked. Hannah thought of all the nights she had wished she'd kept walking. Then she thought of Matthew asking whether he deserved cake after breaking everything. 'No,' she said. 'I regret how many people knew he was scared and did nothing.'
Victor's security consultant uncovered a critical digital trail. Someone had accessed Victor's electronic signature credentials from Raymond's office during the period disputed transfers were approved. Victor's attorney preserved the logs and submitted them for expert review. That evidence did not establish every unauthorized transaction, but it narrowed the possibilities significantly.
Raymond's remaining allies urged him to disappear. He refused. He believed Victor would never allow his brother to face legal consequences that might damage the family name. He knew the boy Victor had once been: dutiful, protective, determined to keep their father's legacy intact. What Raymond failed to understand was that protecting Matthew mattered more to Victor now than preserving appearances.
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When Victor learned of Raymond's visit to the bakery, he called Hannah and asked whether she was safe. She said she was and added, 'Don't go looking for him on my account.' Victor almost smiled. 'You know me too well.' 'I know what fear makes people do,' she said. 'Matthew needs a father who comes home, not one who disappears into revenge.'
He put his keys down and stayed for dinner. Matthew asked if they could make cake again. Victor said yes. They broke another egg. This time Matthew didn't flinch when the shell hit the floor. He laughed, and Victor laughed with him.
