By two in the morning, the gala had become an interrogation.
Police arrived quietly through the rear entrance.
Guests surrendered their phones.
Security footage was collected.
Celeste was moved into a private sitting room.
Victor Lang had vanished.
Nora sat alone in the library.
She should have gone home.
Instead, she stared at the rain running down the enormous windows.
The door opened.
Ethan entered carrying two cups of coffee.
He placed one in front of her.
"I didn't ask for this."
"I'm beginning to understand that you prefer arguing to saying thank you."
She picked up the coffee.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
He sat opposite her.
For the first time all evening, he looked tired rather than intimidating.
"Daniel woke up."
"The bartender?"
"He remembers Victor giving him a drink."
"So Victor drugged him."
"Probably."
"And Celeste?"
"She finally talked."
Nora waited.
Ethan looked toward the fire.
"She says Victor blackmailed her."
"With what?"
"Three years ago, Celeste was involved in a financial scheme with one of Victor's shell companies. She claims she didn't understand what she was signing."
"You believe that?"
"No."
"Neither do I."
"But I believe she was afraid of him."
Nora remembered Celeste's eyes crossing the ballroom.
"What did Victor make her do?"
"Put the drug into my father's wine."
Nora stared.
"So she admits it?"
"Yes."
"That's attempted murder."
"She says Victor told her the dose would only make my father ill."
"Convenient."
"Very."
"Why?"
Ethan leaned back.
"My father was scheduled to sign the revised trust tonight. He was also going to remove Victor as CFO tomorrow morning."
"Why?"
"Someone has been stealing from Whitmore Global."
"How much?"
"Approximately eighty-six million dollars."
Nora nearly dropped her coffee.
"Eighty-six million?"
"That we know about."
"So Victor needed Adrian incapacitated."
"Or dead."
"And Celeste needed him dead before he changed the trust."
"Yes."
"Sounds like they were made for each other."
Ethan almost smiled again.
Then he looked at her more carefully.
"There's something else."
Nora waited.
"Victor knew your name."
Her smile disappeared.
"What?"
"When we searched Daniel's locker, we found a note."
Ethan slid a photograph across the table.
The handwriting was blocky.
STOP NORA VALE BEFORE SHE TALKS.
Nora stared at it.
"That doesn't make sense."
"You said you'd never met Victor."
"I haven't."
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
"Then why would he know exactly who you are?"
Nora thought of her employee badge.
"Maybe he saw my name tonight."
"The note was written before the gala started."
The room suddenly felt colder.
Nora shook her head.
"No."
"What?"
"My mother."
Ethan frowned.
"What about her?"
"She worked here."
"When?"
"Almost twenty years ago."
Ethan went completely still.
"What was her name?"
"Rebecca Vale."
The coffee cup stopped halfway to his mouth.
Nora saw recognition immediately.
"You know that name."
Ethan lowered the cup.
"My father knows that name."
"Why?"
He stood.
"Come with me."
