My fingers ran down the columns of numbers.

There were multiple wire transfers from the Carter family trust.

But as I looked closer at the signatures and the authorization codes, my breath caught.

Whitmore had signed them, yes.

But there was a second set of authorization codes.

These codes could only be generated by an active security terminal inside the palace.

Someone else had authorized the transfers from within these very walls, using a personal staff login.

The login code was still active.

Suddenly, the lights in the basement archive flickered and went out.

The room plunged into absolute darkness.

A soft click sounded from the hallway outside.

The heavy oak door slowly began to swing open.

I pressed my back against the cold metal of the filing cabinet.

My hand slipped down to my pocket, searching for the tactical flashlight I always kept in my jacket.

I wrapped my fingers around the textured metal casing but did not turn it on.

In the pitch black, my ears strained to catch the slightest sound.

The soles of leather shoes scraped against the concrete floor.