Chapter 6 - Someone Inside Moretti Still Worked for CarlisleClosing the routes created enemies.
Not only outside.
Inside.
Michael discovered someone had transmitted warehouse schedules to Carlisle Financial even after Vanessa’s arrest.
An internal leak.
This time Adrian refused paranoia.
No locking down dozens of employees.
No intimidation.
Independent forensic review.
Access logs.
Financial records.
One name emerged.
Harris Cole.
The estate security supervisor.
One of four people with access to the camera terminal.
Harris had physically disconnected the east-wing feeds the night Emily was attacked.
He received $420,000 through a consulting entity connected to Carlisle.
When confronted, Harris initially denied it.
Then Michael showed him the transfers.
He broke.
Arthur Carlisle had approached him two years earlier.
Small favors first.
Guest lists.
Adrian’s travel schedule.
Then security access.
The night Vanessa entered the library, Harris disabled the cameras.
He expected theft.
Not violence.
Adrian listened.
Then said:
“You knew someone was entering my private office illegally.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Emily and Lucy lived in this house.”
“Yes.”
“And you disabled the system anyway.”
Harris looked down.
“I needed the money.”
Adrian thought about every criminal decision Moretti men had justified using exactly that sentence.
Need.
Family.
Loyalty.
Survival.
Words people placed around choices because choices looked uglier alone.
Harris was turned over to investigators.
Michael later asked:
“You okay?”
“No.”
“You trusted him.”
“For eleven years.”
Michael nodded.
“Still want to close the private routes?”
“Yes.”
“That decision is going to cost us.”
“How much?”
“Possibly hundreds of millions.”
Adrian looked toward the garden where Lucy was chasing leaves.
“Then we’ll earn different money.”
Michael smiled faintly.
“Your father would hate that sentence.”
May you like
“My father is dead.”
“Exactly.”
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