Chapter 6 - The Whispers in the Suite
By midnight, the penthouse suite at the top of the Solmere Hotel was completely silent. The city lights of Manhattan stretched out endlessly beneath the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, glittering like a sea of diamonds against the dark autumn sky.
Charlotte stood by the glass, holding a crystal glass of sparkling water. The bruise on her cheek was beginning to turn a deep shade of purple, but she didn't care about the physical pain anymore. What weighed on her mind was the sudden disappearance of Jessica Sterling.
The socialite had fled the hotel through the underground loading dock before the police arrived, leaving behind three Louis Vuitton trunks, a collection of designer furs, and a ruined reputation that would make her an outcast in every high-society club from Manhattan to the Hamptons.
A soft knock echoed at the penthouse door.
“Come in,” Charlotte said without turning around.
The heavy oak door creaked open, and Thomas stepped inside, holding a thick brown envelope.
“Miss Vale, we traced the secondary offshore accounts linked to Julian Vance,” Thomas said respectfully, setting the envelope on the marble coffee table. “It appears they weren't just stealing from the Solmere Trust. They were also liquidating properties belonging to your mother’s estate—including the coastal estate in Maine.”
Charlotte turned around slowly, her eyes sharpening. “The Maine estate? That property was placed in an irrevocable trust the day I was born. It legally cannot be sold without a direct judicial signature from me.”
“They didn't sell it legally, ma’am,” Thomas replied grimly. “They used a forged power of attorney, notarized by a corrupt judge in Westchester County who was recently indicted on federal bribery charges.”
Charlotte walked over to the table and pulled the documents from the envelope. Sure enough, there was the forged signature, clumsily traced over her mother’s distinct handwriting. But what caught her eye wasn't the signature—it was the name of the buyer listed on the deed transfer.
*The Vanguard Global Holdings.*
A shadowy conglomerate known for hostile corporate takeovers and laundering money for overseas syndicates.
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“Vanguard,” Charlotte whispered, running her finger over the corporate seal. “They aren't just local thieves. They’re part of an international network.”
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