Chapter 6 - The Setup
Red warning lights flashed across the ground-floor corridors as high-decibel alarms echoed off the marble walls. Within seconds, Julian and two armed security personnel rushed into the main foyer, blocking all exits.
Richard descended the floating staircase, his tablet displaying a critical security breach warning. "What happened?"
"The master drive for the Vance Bio-Tech merger was removed from your safe three minutes ago, sir," Julian reported, his tone tense. "It contains the entire encrypted patent portfolio for our upcoming medical rollout."
Victor strode into the room from the garden patio, holding a pristine linen handkerchief to his hands. "It couldn't have gone far, Richard. The house locked down automatically the moment the vault opened. Check everyone."
"Are you accusing my staff, Victor?" Eleanor asked, coming down the hall with Lily in her arms.
"I’m accusing logic," Victor said smoothly, turning his head toward the entrance of the library. "Only one person in this house has been wandering the corridors unmonitored. A kid who grew up breaking into empty buildings and pickpocketing for survival."
Leo stepped out of the library, his small fists clenched at his sides. "I didn't take anything."
"Search him, Julian," Victor commanded.
"Stand down, Julian!" Richard snapped. He looked at Leo, his expression troubled. "Leo, did you go near the study after I left?"
"No, sir," Leo said firmly, staring directly into Richard’s eyes. "I stayed in the library. I was looking at the art books."
Victor sighed with exaggerated pity. "Richard, stop letting guilt cloud your judgment. Just check the umbrella stand by the library door. That’s where street kids hide things when security arrives."
Julian glanced at Richard, received a reluctant nod, and walked over to the mahogany umbrella stand. He reached inside, moving two brass-handled umbrellas, and pulled out a sleek, rectangular metallic drive.
Eleanor gasped, covering her mouth.
"There it is," Victor declared, a victorious smirk touching his lips. "The thief’s son follows in his mother's footsteps after all. It’s in their blood."
Leo looked at the metallic drive, then at the cold, calculating expression on Victor’s face. The realization hit him instantly: Victor had staged the frame job on his mother eight years ago, and he was using the exact same playbook today.
"I didn't touch that," Leo whispered, his voice shaking with raw fury. "He put it there! He came into the library and threatened me!"
"Lie all you want, kid," Victor said, pulling out his smartphone. "The drive has biometric scanners. Julian, run the trace on the casing."
Julian plugged the drive into a portable handheld scanner. The digital display blinked green, reading out the surface prints. "Primary prints belong to Mr. Richard Sterling. Secondary partial prints... match the baseline prints taken from Leo at the hospital."
"That’s impossible!" Leo cried out, taking a step back. "I never touched it!"
"He touched your hand when you were sitting in the armchair, Leo!" Eleanor suddenly remembered, stepping between Victor and the boy. "Victor gave you that glass of juice earlier! He handed it to you directly!"
May you like
"Don't be ridiculous, Eleanor," Victor dismissed cleanly. "You're inventing fantasies to protect a juvenile delinquent. Richard, call the police. He’s a security liability."
Richard stood motionless, looking at the drive, then at Victor, and finally down at the terrified, furious boy. The weight of his past mistakes pressed down on him like lead. "Julian... escort Leo to the upstairs guest room. Lock the door. No one calls the police until I review the raw surveillance logs myself."
