Chapter 4: An Uneasy Alliance
To save Eleanor, Arthur knew he could not rely solely on conventional methods. The people operating in the shadows required someone who knew how to navigate those same shadows. Arthur contacted Julian, a retired investigator and an old friend who had once saved Arthur’s business from extortion decades ago.
Julian arrived at the estate as the clock struck midnight. Weathered, silver-haired, and sharp-eyed, Julian examined the journal and the photograph with meticulous care.
"This crest on the medallion," Julian noted, pointing to the silver pendant. "It’s not just a family heirloom, Arthur. It’s the emblem of the Vane Syndicate—an old family-run enterprise that transitioned into high-end art theft years ago."
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Arthur gasped. "Eleanor was working for them?"
"Or against them," Julian corrected. "The man in the photograph with her... that’s Marcus Vane. He died five years ago in prison, but his brother, Victor, took over the operation. If Victor has Eleanor, he isn't looking for revenge—he’s looking for the ledger she hid."
