Chapter 13: The List
"The account is the lock.""
I said it again.
This time, Special Agent Mercer understood.
He pulled a chair beside Nolan.
"Show me everything attached to Northstar.""
Nolan searched.
Statements.
Authorization records.
Dormant-account notices.
Nothing resembling a list.
Captain Brooks stood behind him.
"Could James have stored a document with the bank?""
"Possibly," Mercer said.
"Private trusts sometimes hold physical assets.""
I remembered the coordinates hidden beneath my music box.
Three groups.
We had used all three.
Or I thought we had.
"Give me Dad's book.""
Reed handed me The Count of Monte Cristo.
I reopened the pages.
117.
83.
Then the final number.
I'd treated it as part of the clue leading to NORTHSTAR.
But Dad never made puzzles that simple.
Every birthday clue had two layers.
The first told me where to look.
The second told me what to do when I got there.
I examined the page.
A word had been underlined faintly in pencil.
Certificate.
"Certificate," I whispered.
Nolan looked up.
"What?""
"Search the account for certificates.""
His fingers moved.
Then stopped.
"There's a safe-custody certificate.""
Mercer leaned closer.
"Asset description?""
"Sealed archival package.""
My pulse jumped.
"Location?""
Nolan read the screen.
"Northstar's regional vault.""
Brooks checked the time.
11:07 p.m.
Fifty-three minutes until Margaret's deadline.
Mercer made a call.
The bank's emergency security officer confirmed the package existed.
Retrieval required my identity, the account key, and a physical authorization code.
"What code?"" I asked.
Nolan pointed to the brass key from Box 417.
Tiny numbers had been engraved along its edge.
We hadn't noticed them.
Dad had built the entire trail.
The safety deposit box led to the recording.
The recording led to Northstar.
Northstar led to the package.
At 11:26, an armored courier arrived under federal escort.
The package was smaller than I expected.
A gray metal case.
My father's handwriting appeared on masking tape across the top.
NOT MONEY.
Reed exhaled.
"Your dad really liked labels.""
I almost smiled.
I entered the code.
The case opened.
Inside were photographs.
Names.
Contract numbers.
Copies of old communications.
A handwritten ledger.
And a small digital storage device sealed inside plastic.
Mercer looked at me.
"Sarah, don't touch anything.""
I stared at the ledger.
More than thirty names appeared.
Some I recognized.
Most I didn't.
Civilian executives.
Former military personnel.
Shipping brokers.
Procurement officials.
My father hadn't uncovered a theft ring.
He'd uncovered a network.
Brooks turned pages carefully.
Then stopped.
"Nathan Cross.""
His name appeared beside multiple transactions.
Below it:
MARGARET PRICE — CONTROL.
Victor Hale appeared repeatedly.
Then another name.
Thomas Keller.
But Keller's first entry was only eighteen months old.
He had been a late recruit.
A compromised man.
Not an architect.
Mercer pointed toward a notation beside Margaret's name.
"What's PEREGRINE?""
Nolan examined the storage device.
"Could be an operation name.""
I remembered Margaret's words.
Bring me the list.
"She doesn't know Dad's evidence survived intact.""
Brooks looked at me.
"No.""
"She thinks I have one list.""
"Sarah—"
"We can use that.""
Reed immediately shook his head.
"No.""
I turned.
"She has my mother.""
"And walking into a loading dock gives her two hostages.""
"Then don't let me walk in alone.""
Mercer considered it.
Brooks saw his expression.
"You're actually considering this?""
"We have a deadline and a hostage.""
"We also have enough evidence for arrests.""
"Not enough to locate Mrs. Miller before midnight.""
I looked at Mercer.
"Victor's video showed an office.""
"Correct.""
"Can you identify it?""
"We're working on it.""
I closed my eyes and replayed the image.
White wall.
Metal chair.
Window behind Mom.
A buzzing fluorescent fixture.
Then something else.
A horn.
Faint.
Long.
I opened my eyes.
"Train.""
Reed frowned.
"What?""
"There was a train horn during the call.""
Nolan pulled up a map.
The north loading dock sat near freight tracks.
So did three old commercial buildings.
One belonged to Hale Strategic Logistics.
Mercer pointed.
"There.""
An abandoned dispatch office.
Less than half a mile from the loading dock.
Teams moved immediately.
At 11:43, Mercer received confirmation.
Heat signatures.
Three people inside.
One seated.
Two moving.
Mom.
Margaret.
Victor.
My heart hammered.
"We go now.""
Mercer stopped me.
"No. Tactical team extracts your mother.""
"What about the loading dock?""
"We make Margaret believe you're going.""
Nolan prepared a message from my account.
I HAVE THE LIST. COMING ALONE.
Margaret replied instantly.
BRING THE ORIGINAL.
Then another message appeared.
AND SARAH?
My breath caught.
A photograph loaded.
General Cross sat inside a vehicle.
Alive.
Watching the entrance to our building.
Reed moved to the window.
"He's here.""
Mercer grabbed his radio.
Before he could speak, the lights outside flashed.
A vehicle accelerated across the parking lot.
Cross was leaving.
Then Mercer's radio exploded with voices.
"Dispatch office breach!""
"One hostage located!""
"Victor Hale detained!""
I grabbed the edge of the desk.
"Margaret?""
Static.
Then:
"Second suspect not inside.""
My stomach dropped.
Mercer looked at the photograph Cross had sent.
Then at the hallway.
"Lock this building down.""
Too late.
The elevator bell sounded.
The doors opened.
Margaret Price stepped out.
Alone.
She looked toward me.
May you like
And smiled.
"I told Victor you were just like your father.""
