Chapter 11
Three Years, No Exit
The men never reached the music room.
Adrian led Mara through a service passage hidden behind the record shelves. It opened into a greenhouse at the rear of the house.
Only when the car doors locked did Mara look at him.
“You knew there was an exit.”
“I had the property mapped.”
“You knew people would come.”
“I suspected.”
“You could have told me.”
“You would have asked to stay.”
“You’re right.”
The admission softened the air for one second.
Mara took out the contract.
“I want amendments. An account in my own name. Independent legal counsel. Full access to every document connected to my debt. No interference with my contact with Julian or Linnea.”
“You will not use them to breach confidentiality.”
“Then define confidentiality.”
“You know what it means.”
“Your contract defines it as anything that embarrasses Mercer Crown.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“What exit do you want?”
“If I recover the Black Ledger or prove who engineered the bankruptcy, the contract ends without penalty.”
“That gives you a motive to manufacture evidence.”
“Add an independent verifier.”
He considered her.
“Naomi Vale.”
Mara laughed. “Your almost-fiancée?”
“She is a corporate litigator.”
“She hates me.”
“That makes her independent.”
At Mercer Tower, Daniel was waiting with a new contract. The amendments granted Mara an independent account, access to debt records, and a review mechanism.
Adrian had signed first.
“Why did you agree?”
“Because you’re going to investigate whether I like it or not.”
He handed her a black bank card with her name printed on it.
“Your own funds. Interest from the claims I purchased.”
Mara pocketed it.
Daniel’s tablet chimed.
The legal verifier had accepted the case.
Naomi Vale would meet them in one hour.
Her message contained one sentence:
Bring the original contract. I know which clause Adrian removed.