49

“Yikes.” Chloe raised her hands up in the classic gesture of defeat. “You win. I’ll show you where he kept all his private, top-secret files. I know where he kept the key.”

Finally, they were getting somewhere. Chloe led the way into Christopher's office, opening his middle desk drawer and retrieving a full key ring. “It’s one of these,” she said, turning to the back wall and removing a large, framed picture that concealed a safe. Instead of a keypad, it had an inset lock.

Chloe began trying keys. Her fourth attempt turned out to be the right one.

“Here we are,” she said, opening it. Once she had, she stepped back, allowing Vanessa to see the inside.

Instead of stacks of cash, there were several large envelopes and folders, stuffed with papers. Vanessa moved forward, half-afraid of what she’d find.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Chloe told her, backing out and closing the door behind her.

Vanessa transferred everything from the safe to the desktop, then she pulled up a chair. As she’d suspe