Adrian knelt on the floor beside me.

His wool coat brushed against my shoulder as he watched me pull the book out.

“The ledger,” he said.

“Every restoration, every transaction, every chemical analysis,” I said. “I kept it all in here.”

I wiped the dust off the leather cover with the sleeve of my sweater.

My hands were shaking so hard I could barely open the cover.

“Let me,” Adrian said gently.

He took the book and opened it to the pages from five years ago.

The pages were filled with my neat, slanted handwriting in dark blue ink.

I turned the pages quickly until I reached the section marked with the Vale family crest.

It was the restoration record for three Dutch master paintings from his family’s estate.

“Here,” I said, pointing my finger at the first entry. “The original work orders.”

Adrian leaned closer to the page.

The yellow light from the desk lamp cast long shadows across his face.

His eyes scanned the lines of ink.

“These paintings were brought in under a corporate name,” Adrian murmured. “Apex Holdings.”