Chapter 14 - Cedar Ridge
By the time Caleb reached Cedar Ridge, flames were climbing from the rear administrative wing.
Firefighters filled the driveway.
Residents stood outside under emergency blankets while staff hurried between ambulances.
Margaret stayed in the car with Emma, but Caleb could see her trembling through the window.
“This is where they kept her,” he said.
Detective Morales nodded.
“Someone may be destroying records.”
A firefighter approached.
“The medical wing is clear. Fire started in records storage.”
Morales swore under her breath.
Caleb saw a man slipping behind the ambulance line.
Gray coat.
Balding head.
Martin Voss.
“Martin!”
The CFO turned and ran.
Caleb chased him across the wet lawn.
Voss slipped near a hedge, recovered, then reached a maintenance road where a sedan waited with the engine running.
Ross—the security guard from Grand Central—stepped out from behind the sedan.
Voss stopped dead.
Ross folded his arms.
“Bad night for running.”
Police officers caught up seconds later.
Morales handcuffed Voss herself.
“What happened to Montreal?” she asked.
Voss glared at Caleb.
“I never boarded. My assistant used my ticket.”
Caleb stepped closer. “Why burn the records?”
Voss smiled bitterly.
“You think Victor is the only one who benefited?”
Thomas arrived in another police car with his attorney.
When Voss saw him, he laughed.
“Oh, this should be good.”
Thomas stared at him.
“What did you do?”
“What you paid me to do for fifteen years. Make problems disappear.”
Margaret had gotten out of the car now.
She looked at Thomas.
Caleb did too.
Thomas shook his head. “I did not order this fire.”
Voss shouted, “Not this one. But you ordered enough others.”
The words landed heavily.
Caleb said, “What others?”
Voss’s smile returned.
“Ask your father about the pension fund.”
Thomas went pale.
Margaret whispered, “Thomas?”
Voss leaned toward Caleb as the officers pulled him away.
“You think this story started eighteen months ago?”
May you like
He laughed.
“It started before you graduated college.”
