Chapter 6 - Maria Ruiz
Maria Ruiz lived above a bakery in Pilsen.
Adrian wanted security with them.
Claire refused.
“If six men in black coats follow us in, she won’t talk.”
“I have two men.”
“That’s two too many.”
Adrian looked irritated.
Claire stared back.
Finally he said, “Fine.”
They went alone.
Maria opened the door only three inches.
The second she saw Adrian, she tried to close it.
Claire put her hand against the frame.
“Please. I’m not with him.”
Adrian glanced at her.
Maria looked between them.
“That’s not convincing.”
“My name is Claire Bennett. I’m an accountant.”
“That’s worse.”
Claire almost laughed.
“Your sister received a payment after she disappeared.”
Maria went still.
“Who told you that?”
“No one. I found it.”
The door opened another inch.
Claire continued.
“An account under your name received ninety-four thousand dollars.”
Maria’s face drained.
“I never got ninety-four thousand dollars.”
“Did you get any money?”
“No.”
Adrian said, “Then someone used your identity.”
Maria looked at him with open hatred.
“My sister said that would happen.”
Claire’s pulse jumped.
“What exactly did Elena say?”
Maria let them inside.
The apartment was small and neat.
On the kitchen table sat a framed photograph of two sisters at Lake Michigan.
Maria opened a drawer and removed an old phone.
“Elena mailed this to me two days before she disappeared.”
“Why?”
“She said if anything happened, I should never give it to police.”
Adrian’s face hardened.
“Why?”
“She said someone inside the department was being paid.”
Claire felt cold.
Maria unlocked the phone.
There were no contacts.
No photos.
Only one audio file.
She pressed play.
Elena’s voice filled the room.
“If you’re hearing this, I probably ran out of time. Raymond Keller is moving money through Vale companies, but he isn’t the top. Victor Sloan designed the structure. There’s one more person inside Adrian’s organization authorizing clean transfers.”
Adrian’s expression changed.
Elena continued.
“I don’t know the name. Only initials.”
A pause.
“D.V.”
Adrian went still.
Claire noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“That was not nothing.”
Maria looked at him.
“You know those initials.”
Adrian said nothing.
Claire stepped closer.
“Who is D.V.?”
He looked at her.
“My younger brother.”
Claire blinked.
“You have a brother?”
“Dominic Vale.”
“Where is he?”
May you like
Adrian’s voice turned flat.
“On my payroll.”
