The Dead Woman in Geneva
Chapter 10 - The Dead Woman in Geneva
The woman in the Geneva clinic photograph resembled Rachel closely.
Ava enlarged the image.
The eyes were wrong.
Rachel’s left eyelid had drooped slightly after a childhood injury. The visitor’s did not.
Grant recognized the woman.
“Louise Carter.”
The nurse who rescued Ava had disappeared after helping Rachel flee the hospital. She had used Rachel’s identity in Geneva.
Marcus traced the visitor passport to a flight leaving Switzerland two days earlier. The destination was Montreal.
Louise was alive.
Grant, Ava, and Marcus flew north that afternoon. Julian remained in New York to supervise the audit and watch Victoria’s legal team.
Before Ava boarded, Julian gave her a small flash drive.
“I copied every transaction approved through my account.”
“Do you trust me with it?”
“I do not know yet.”
“That is honest.”
“I am trying something new.”
In Montreal, they found Louise living above a closed pharmacy under the name Anne Keller.
She opened the door before Marcus knocked.
“You took too long,” she told Grant.
Louise was seventy-one, with white hair and clear, severe eyes.
She admitted visiting the clinic.
“I did not steal your biometric signature. I copied the scan before Victoria’s people could.”
“Why?”
“Because Grant Ashford’s death protocol was the only way to open the hidden charity ledger.”
Louise revealed that Edward Vale was alive and running a network of private clinics used to hide stolen money and inconvenient people. Grant’s crash had been planned because he began asking questions about medical relief accounts.
“Did Victoria order it?” Ava asked.
Louise looked at Grant.
“Victoria approved the money. Edward chose the method.”
“Where is he?”
“At Ashford House.”
Grant stared at her.
Louise explained that Edward returned months earlier under the identity of Dr. Samuel Voss, Victoria’s private physician. He attended Grant’s memorial, signed the death declaration, and supervised Victoria’s health.
A dead man had been living inside the mansion.
Marcus called New York.
No one answered Julian’s phone.
Security cameras showed Dr. Voss entering the east wing twenty minutes earlier.
Then every camera went dark.
Ava called Julian directly.
The line connected.
She heard breathing, then Victoria’s voice.
“You should have stayed dead with your mother.”
The call ended.
Grant looked at the departure board.
The next commercial flight was four hours away.
Louise opened a drawer and removed a key.
“Edward keeps a plane at Saint-Hubert.”
Grant took it.
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For twenty-six years, other people had used time against Ava.
Now they were racing the clock again.
