Chapter 6 - The Secret in the Silver
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Nell sat on the edge of the plush, velvet bed, holding the tarnished silver locket in her hands. The room was absolutely silent, a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding in the city below.
She ran her thumbnail along the microscopic groove her father had pointed out years ago.
“Keep this. Don't give it to anyone.”
She took a deep breath, retrieved a small metal hairpin from her uniform, and carefully wedged it into the scratch. She applied pressure, twisting gently.
With a soft, metallic click, the back plate of the pendant popped open.
It wasn't a locket meant for pictures. Hidden inside the hollow cavity was a tightly folded, incredibly thin piece of waterproof paper, covered in tiny, meticulous handwriting.
Nell unfolded it under the bright light of the bedside lamp.
It was a ledger.
Her father’s handwriting listed dates, offshore bank account numbers, and massive financial transfers spanning over a decade. But it was the names attached to the accounts that made her blood run cold.
Bruno Santoro. Teddy Vain. Harold Puit.
They had been siphoning millions of dollars from the Santoro shipping empire, funnelling the money into illegal arms trades and corrupt political campaigns. And at the very bottom of the page, dated the day before Rafe’s father died, was a chilling note:
The brakes on the master’s car have been compromised. Payment issued to T. Vain.
A jagged sob tore from Nell’s throat. Her father hadn't just been an accountant. He had uncovered a conspiracy to murder the head of the Santoro family, and he had been killed to keep it quiet.
The heavy steel door of her room suddenly clicked and swung open.
Nell scrambled backward, shoving the paper into her pocket, expecting to see Teddy Vain.
It was Rafe.
He looked exhausted, his white shirt stained with soot and ash. He locked the door behind him and walked slowly toward the bed.
“The fires are out,” Rafe said quietly, dropping into an armchair opposite her. “Teddy’s men retreated when they realized I wasn't coming.”
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He looked at her, his dark eyes analyzing her tear-streaked face.
“What did you find, Nell?”
