I had noticed a series of massive, unexplained transfers from the corporate accounts.

The money had been routed through a shell company called Alpenglow Holdings.

I needed to get back to my laptop in the study to verify the digital signatures.

If my suspicion was correct, Vanessa’s cruelty went far deeper than the nursery.

She had been systematically draining Caldwell Systems from the inside out.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated in my pocket again.

It was an automated alert from the secure corporate server.

Someone was attempting to delete the transaction logs right now.

I pulled my phone from my coat pocket and stared at the blinking red notification.

The IP address attempting to bypass the firewall was originating from a terminal right here in the mansion.

“Daniel, I need to get to the study,” I said, my voice tight.

Detective Pierce did not look up from securing Vanessa’s wrists.

“Go,” he said. “Marcus, clear her path.”

Marcus Vale stepped ahead of me, his heavy boots echoing on the polished hardwood.

The air in the long hallway was cold, smelling of pine and old wax from the high ceilings.