Chapter 10 - The Vault Beneath the Ashes
Two hours later, the fire at Le Jardin was contained.
The street was blocked off by police cruisers, their red and blue strobe lights painting the wet pavement in rhythmic, violent flashes. Firefighters were washing down the smoldering wooden remnants of the shopfront.
In the back alley, hidden inside an unmarked state prosecutor's vehicle, Clara sat beside Senior Special Agent David Ross.
"Marcus Vance was pulled from the building ten minutes ago," Ross reported, handing Clara a thermal mug of black coffee. "Severe burns, skull fracture, but he's conscious. His revolver was recovered, and the ballistic match confirms it was the weapon used in the Swiss laboratory execution four years ago."
Clara closed her eyes, letting out a long, ragged breath. "And the Rosewood files?"
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Ross looked at Lily, who was sitting in the backseat wrapped in a warm wool blanket, quietly eating an apple.
"The silver key unlocked an encrypted server housing unit buried beneath the shop's sub-basement," Ross said, his voice laced with profound respect. "It contains full video confessions recorded by Eleanor Vance before she was killed, detailing every member of the syndicate, including three sitting board members of Vance Financial."
