Chapter 9 - Adrian’s Version
Adrian Vale agreed to meet through lawyers.
No immunity from prosecutors.
No blanket protection.
Only a potential civil cooperation agreement if his information proved truthful.
He appeared by secure video from Vancouver.
Not Singapore.
Daniel stared at him.
“You were sixty miles away?”
Adrian smiled faintly.
“Closer, sometimes.”
Sophie thought of Ava.
The man at their house.
Adrian looked ordinary.
That disturbed her.
He began with Charles Mercer.
“Your father knew about Marcus’s vendor scheme.”
Daniel said, “We know.”
“He also knew Marcus had pledged future terminal revenue to cover the marina losses.”
“What?”
Daniel had never heard that.
Adrian continued.
“Charles repaid it privately.”
“How much?”
“Eight million.”
“And you helped hide it.”
“Yes.”
The admission came easily.
“Why?”
“Because Charles paid me.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“At least you’re honest now.”
“No. I’m useful now.”
Sophie disliked him immediately.
Adrian explained that after Charles died, Marcus approached him.
Marcus needed financing.
His personal investments were collapsing.
He could not borrow openly because of trust and company restrictions.
So Adrian created Crown Harbor.
“Your own money?” Rachel asked.
“Mostly third-party private credit.”
“Did lenders know Mercer Maritime had not approved the loan?”
“They were told approval existed.”
“By whom?”
“Marcus.”
Daniel leaned forward.
“And you accepted that?”
“I had Daniel’s token authentication.”
“You knew it was stolen.”
Adrian did not answer.
Rachel said, “That silence is enough for this meeting.”
Adrian continued.
He claimed the plan originally involved only financing.
Then Marcus’s losses grew.
A waterfront development called Alder Shore required another fifteen million dollars.
North Sound Terminal became the exit.
Sell company property cheaply to Tidecrest.
Refinance it privately.
Later resell or redevelop at full value.
Marcus and Adrian would gain tens of millions.
“Why the ferry?” Sophie asked.
Adrian looked at her.
“Marcus believed Daniel would sign if he was relaxed and isolated.”
“Birthday trip.”
“Yes.”
“And Ava’s suitcase?”
Adrian hesitated.
“That was Marcus.”
“What does that mean?”
“I told him I needed originals onboard.”
“So he used my daughter’s luggage.”
“Yes.”
Sophie’s anger became cold.
“Why?”
“Because executive-family baggage bypassed some internal courier documentation.”
Daniel looked horrified.
Adrian continued.
“The bag was supposed to be checked. A porter would reroute it to cabin 6B.”
“Ava refused,” Sophie said.
“Yes.”
“And Marcus attacked me because the evidence was still in my hands.”
Adrian did not disagree.
Rachel asked, “What did you mean when you offered information about Charles?”
Adrian leaned back.
“Charles created a second document.”
“What document?”
“A side letter.”
“To what?”
“The Descendants Trust.”
Daniel frowned.
“I’ve never seen one.”
“Because Marcus took it after Charles died.”
“What did it say?”
Adrian looked straight into the camera.
“That Marcus could never serve as trustee if he had unresolved financial obligations to Mercer Maritime.”
Silence.
Sophie understood first.
“If authentic, Marcus was never eligible to replace Daniel.”
“Correct.”
Daniel stood.
“Where is it?”
Adrian smiled.
“That is why I want protection.”
Rachel said, “No.”
Adrian’s smile vanished.
“You want the document?”
“We want you to produce evidence before discussing civil concessions.”
“You’ll never find it.”
Daniel leaned toward the screen.
“Marcus has it?”
Adrian answered carefully.
“Marcus believes he destroyed it.”
Sophie stared.
“But?”
Adrian smiled again.
“Charles kept copies.”
“Where?”
“The red ferry archive.”
Daniel froze.
Pier 14.
The old Mercer Dawn.
Charles had maintained a private founder’s locker aboard the vessel.
The original ferry was still in company service.
The same ferry they had nearly boarded on Daniel’s birthday.
The same ferry Adrian had been standing inside.
Daniel whispered, “You were going for the copy.”
Adrian did not deny it.
The birthday trip had two purposes.
Get Daniel’s signatures.
Recover Charles’s hidden side letter before anyone discovered it.
Adrian had gone to the upper deck because Charles’s old locker was near cabin 6B.
Sophie asked, “Did you find it?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because your terminal scene delayed everything and security began searching.”
The side letter might still be aboard.
Daniel looked at Rachel.
“We need the ferry secured.”
Already too late.
The Mercer Dawn had resumed commercial positioning overnight.
It was now docked in Bremerton.
The founder’s locker was empty.
Someone had reached it first.
Security footage showed a maintenance contractor entering at 4:12 a.m.
The contractor badge belonged to a man who had been fired three months earlier.
The footage showed the man leaving with a red document folder.
Rachel traced the vehicle used.
Registered owner:
Alder Shore Development.
Marcus’s company.
Marcus had the side letter.
Or had destroyed it.
Then Adrian said something even worse.
“Charles kept one other copy.”
Daniel stared.
“Where?”
May you like
Adrian looked toward Sophie.
“In your house.”
