"That was Helen's understanding."
"And Michael agreed?"
"Apparently."
Daniel paced the room.
"Why would Richard do that?"
Arthur shook his head.
"I don't know."
"How much money?"
"Enough to put the company in serious danger."
"Where did it go?"
"Some of it went through accounts connected to companies that no longer exist."
Daniel stopped.
"And the rest?"
Arthur's eyes met his.
"We haven't found it."
The room became silent.
Daniel looked at Emily.
"Does your investigation prove any of this?"
"Not completely. We have records showing that the transfers occurred, but we still need the original authorization documents."
"Where are they?"
Arthur reached into a drawer and removed a small key.
"Helen told me there was a place where she had kept copies."
Daniel stared at the key.
"Where?"
"The old headquarters."
***
The old headquarters had been abandoned for years.
The company had moved into its current building shortly after the restructuring, and the former property had eventually been sold. The new owners had used it for storage before leaving it almost entirely vacant.
Daniel remembered the building well.
It had been the place where he and Helen first imagined their future.
It had been the place where Michael learned the business.
It had been the place where Arthur had spent countless nights working beside them.
And it had been the place where the company had once felt like a family.
"Why didn't you tell me about this before?" Daniel asked.
Arthur slipped the key into his pocket.
"Because I didn't know whether the documents were still there."
"Then why go now?"
"Because whoever sent you that message knows we're getting close."
Emily checked her phone.
"Father, we should wait until morning."
Arthur shook his head.
"If someone knows about the investigation, waiting could be dangerous."
Daniel looked at him.
"You're suggesting we go there tonight?"
"Yes."
"Do you even know if we can get inside?"
Arthur nodded.
"The old maintenance entrance was never properly sealed."
Emily frowned.
"That's exactly why we should be careful."
Arthur smiled sadly.
"You sound like your mother."
Daniel looked at her.
"Your mother?"
Emily's expression softened.
"My mother died when I was young. Father says I inherited her habit of worrying about everyone."
Arthur picked up his coat.
"She had good instincts."
Emily looked at him.
"Then perhaps you should listen to them."
For a moment, Daniel thought Arthur might change his mind.
Instead, the older man reached for his walking stick.
"Let's go."
***
The drive to the old headquarters took nearly forty minutes.
By the time they arrived, the city lights had begun to fade behind them.
The building stood at the end of a narrow street, surrounded by newer developments. Its exterior had deteriorated. Several windows were dark, and weeds had begun growing along the edges of the pavement.
Daniel got out of the car.
He stood still.
He could almost see the old building as it had been twelve years earlier.
The bright sign above the entrance.
The employees arriving each morning.
Helen standing near the reception desk, holding a cup of coffee and smiling at someone who had just told her a joke.
Michael rushing through the doors, apologizing for being late.
Arthur carrying a stack of files.
It had been a good life.
Or at least, it had seemed like one.
"Are you all right?" Emily asked.
Daniel nodded.
"I haven't been here since the sale."
Arthur approached the entrance.
"Then perhaps it's time you saw what was left."
They walked along the side of the building until they reached a narrow metal door.
Arthur took out the key.
It did not fit.
He tried another key.
Nothing.
Daniel examined the lock.
"This isn't the original."
Arthur frowned.
"Someone changed it."
Emily pulled out her phone.
"Maybe we should call the property manager."
Arthur looked at the door.
"Not yet."
He moved along the wall and stopped near a small service entrance.
The door was partly hidden behind a row of old storage containers.
Daniel approached it.
"This one?"
Arthur nodded.
"That's where we used to bring in equipment."
The handle turned.
The door opened with a long metallic groan.
A smell of dust and damp concrete drifted into the night.
Daniel switched on his phone's flashlight.
"Stay close."
They entered.
The corridor was narrow, and the walls were covered with peeling paint. Their footsteps echoed through the empty building.
Daniel remembered every turn.
The storage room.
The maintenance office.
The old archive.
They reached a staircase and climbed to the second floor.
At the top, Daniel stopped.
The corridor stretched ahead, dark and silent.
At the far end was Helen's old office.
He remembered the day she had first moved into that room. She had insisted on choosing the furniture herself, and she had spent an entire afternoon arranging books and photographs.
Daniel had teased her about making an office feel like a living room.
She had replied that people worked better when they felt comfortable.
He approached the door.
It was slightly open.
Arthur raised his hand.
"Wait."
He listened.
Nothing.
Then he pushed the door gently.
The room was empty.
Most of the furniture had been removed, but a large wooden cabinet remained against the wall.
Emily moved toward it.
"This must be the place."
Arthur took the key from his pocket.
It fitted the cabinet's lower lock.
The drawer opened.
Inside were several folders, a collection of photographs, and a small black notebook.
Daniel reached for the notebook.
His hands trembled as he opened it.
The first page contained Helen's handwriting.
He recognized it immediately.
*If anything happens to me, these documents must be given to Daniel.*
He stopped reading.
Emily moved closer.
"What does it say?"
Daniel turned the page.
There were dates, transaction references, and several names.
Richard Cole.
Michael Bennett.
Margaret Hayes.
And one more name.
A name Daniel had not expected to see.
Arthur Carter.
Daniel looked up.
Arthur's face had become pale.
"Why is your name here?"
The older man did not answer.
Daniel turned another page.
The handwriting became more hurried.
*Arthur knows about the transfers.*
*He says he can help.*
*But I am no longer certain who I can trust.*
Daniel looked at his former friend.