Chapter 15: The Safety Deposit Box
Chapter 15: The Safety Deposit Box
The brass key felt unexpectedly heavy in Alexander's palm.
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Its worn edges spoke of decades spent hidden.
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Its faded leather tag carried only a few engraved words.
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Safety Deposit Box 417.
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First National Bank of Boston.
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Alexander stared at it in silence.
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Somewhere inside that box...
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The truth about Jonathan Cole had waited for more than thirty years.
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And perhaps...
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The truth about Edward Sterling's murder as well.
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FBI agents secured the abandoned train station.
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Crime scene investigators photographed every shell casing.
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Every footprint.
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Every broken window.
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The sniper had escaped once again.
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But this time...
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He had left behind something unexpected.
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Daniel approached Alexander carrying a small evidence bag.
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"We recovered this from the rooftop."
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Inside rested a single silver cufflink.
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Alexander frowned.
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The Sterling family crest had been engraved into its surface.
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A lion standing above a shield.
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The same emblem worn by Sterling executives during formal events.
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Daniel looked puzzled.
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"Only board members own these."
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Alexander studied the cufflink carefully.
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"It wasn't dropped by accident."
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Daniel looked surprised.
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"You think it was intentional?"
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Alexander nodded.
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"Someone wants us to know the killer is connected to Sterling Global."
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Catherine joined them.
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"The wounded gunman has been identified."
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Alexander looked up.
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"Who was he?"
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"A former military contractor named Victor Ross."
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"He disappeared from public records twelve years ago."
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Daniel frowned.
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"Who hired him?"
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Catherine sighed.
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"That's the problem."
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"Every payment came through shell companies."
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Alexander smiled coldly.
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"My mother's favorite method."
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Meanwhile.
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Victoria sat inside a secure federal detention center.
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The news of the failed ambush reached her within the hour.
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She calmly folded the newspaper and placed it beside her untouched lunch.
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Richard Hale sat across from her.
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"They found Samuel Bennett."
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Victoria remained silent.
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Richard continued.
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"He gave Alexander the bank key."
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Victoria finally looked up.
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"Then we have very little time."
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Richard leaned forward.
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"What exactly is inside that deposit box?"
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Victoria smiled faintly.
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"The only evidence I never managed to destroy."
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The following morning.
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Alexander, Emily, Catherine, Daniel, and two FBI agents arrived in Boston.
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The historic First National Bank stood proudly in the heart of the financial district.
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Its granite columns had witnessed generations of America's wealthiest families.
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Today...
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It would witness the collapse of one.
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The bank president personally greeted them.
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"Mr. Sterling."
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"We received the federal authorization."
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"The vault is ready."
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The elevator descended deep beneath the building.
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Several reinforced security doors opened one after another.
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Finally...
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They entered the main vault.
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Thousands of safety deposit boxes lined the walls.
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The bank president stopped before one.
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417.
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Alexander inserted the brass key.
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The lock clicked softly.
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He slowly pulled the metal box from the wall.
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Everyone held their breath.
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Inside were only three items.
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A thick manila envelope.
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A leather journal.
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And...
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A small cassette tape.
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Alexander carefully lifted the envelope first.
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Across the front, written in neat blue ink, were five words.
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For My Son, Alexander.
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Not Edward's handwriting.
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Jonathan Cole's.
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Alexander hesitated.
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Then opened the envelope.
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Inside was a handwritten letter.
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He began reading aloud.
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"My son..."
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"If this letter reaches you..."
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"It means I failed to return."
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Emily gently squeezed his hand.
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Alexander continued.
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"I never wanted you to grow up carrying my enemies."
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"Edward Sterling is the finest man I have ever known."
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"If he is raising you..."
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"Then you already have the father I hoped you would."
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Alexander's vision blurred.
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Jonathan had never tried to replace Edward.
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He had trusted him completely.
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The next page changed everything.
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"The corruption I uncovered extends far beyond one corporation."
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"Several powerful families secretly formed an organization."
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"They call themselves..."
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Alexander paused.
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His heartbeat quickened.
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Then he read the name.
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The Black Circle.
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Silence filled the vault.
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Catherine slowly looked up.
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"I've heard that name."
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Daniel frowned.
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"I haven't."
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Catherine's face became grave.
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"It has appeared in classified federal investigations for decades."
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"No one has ever identified all of its members."
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Alexander continued reading.
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"Edward discovered that Victoria had become involved with the Black Circle."
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"He promised to expose them."
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"If anything happens to either of us..."
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"Trust no one connected to the Sterling board."
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Daniel slowly lowered his head.
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"The cufflink."
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Alexander nodded.
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"It wasn't just a Sterling employee."
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"It was someone inside the board."
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Emily carefully opened the leather journal.
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Every page contained Jonathan Cole's investigative notes.
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Secret meetings.
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Offshore accounts.
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Political bribes.
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Corporate assassinations disguised as accidents.
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The deeper they read...
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The darker the conspiracy became.
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Then Emily suddenly stopped turning the pages.
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"Alexander."
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He looked toward her.
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She pointed at one photograph taped inside the journal.
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It showed six men standing together outside a private estate.
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Edward Sterling.
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Jonathan Cole.
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And...
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Victoria Sterling.
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Standing beside another man.
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A tall man wearing dark sunglasses.
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His face looked strangely familiar.
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Daniel leaned closer.
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His eyes widened.
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"I know him."
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Alexander frowned.
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"Who is he?"
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Daniel answered quietly.
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"Attorney General William Crawford."
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The room froze.
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The nation's highest law enforcement officer.
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Standing beside Victoria.
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More than thirty years ago.
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Catherine immediately took the photograph.
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"This changes everything."
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Alexander nodded.
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"The conspiracy reaches the highest levels."
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Just then...
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The bank president hurried back into the vault.
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His face had gone pale.
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"Mr. Sterling."
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"You need to leave."
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Alexander frowned.
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"Why?"
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The man swallowed hard.
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"Because every television station in America is broadcasting the same story."
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Daniel pulled out his phone.
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A breaking news alert filled the screen.
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STERLING GLOBAL CEO ALEXANDER STERLING NAMED PRIME SUSPECT IN FATHER'S MURDER.
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Alexander stared at the headline in disbelief.
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Emily gasped.
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Catherine immediately understood.
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"They're framing you."
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Daniel looked at the article.
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"It says newly discovered evidence proves you ordered Edward Sterling's death to seize control of the company."
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Alexander slowly lowered the phone.
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He had just uncovered the truth.
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May you like
And someone had already turned him into the country's most wanted villain.
End of Chapter 15
