Chapter 9 - The First Bidder
The elderly man introduced himself as Henry Vale.
He had attended every Harrington auction for forty years.
No one had ever asked why he always held Paddle One.
Henry’s mother had been the mansion’s head housekeeper.
She contributed half her savings when the estate faced foreclosure.
Her certificate carried twenty-one percent of the Founders’ Arts Trust.
Henry possessed the deciding vote.
Victoria approached him.
“Your family has always been loyal to ours.”
Henry looked at her.
“My mother was loyal to the house.”
“She was never loyal to theft.”
Victoria lowered her voice.
“We can settle this privately.”
Elena heard her.
“So did the guests standing nearby.”
Even after every exposure, Victoria still believed poorer heirs preferred quiet money to public dignity.
Henry turned toward Elena.
“Your mother visited mine before the accusation.”
Elena stopped breathing.
“Sofia knew Victoria planned to remove the contributors from the trust. She gave my mother the cassette.”
“Then how did it end up inside my violin case?”
Henry looked toward Julian.
“The auctioneer returned it.”
Every face turned.
Julian went still.
Twelve years earlier, he had been the foundation’s junior attorney.
Sofia brought him the recording.
He promised to protect it.
Instead, it disappeared.
Julian removed his glasses.
“I hid the cassette after Victoria’s father threatened every employee named on it.”
Elena stared at him.
“You let my mother take the blame.”
His shame was visible.
“Yes.”
Henry raised Paddle One.
He cast his mother’s twenty-one percent with the workers and artists.
The mansion transferred to the Founders’ Arts Trust.
Victoria lost control.
May you like
Then Henry looked at Julian.
“But you still have not told Elena what happened to the second recording.”
