The Jefferson Street warehouse had been abandoned for nearly fifteen years. Its red brick walls were stained by decades of winter storms, and most windows were covered with plywood. Victor Harlan's development company recently announced plans to demolish the building and replace it with a luxury residential complex.
Samuel explained that the warehouse had once belonged to Brooks Transport. When Victor gained control of the company, he transferred the property through several corporate entities before eventually placing it under his development business.
But Robert Brooks had kept something hidden there.
“The original financial ledgers,” Samuel said. “Your grandfather never trusted the computerized records Victor introduced.”
Daniel frowned.
“My father barely knew how to use a computer.”
“Exactly. He kept handwritten records, signed contracts, and correspondence in a steel cabinet beneath the loading dock.”
“Why didn't anyone retrieve them?”
“Robert didn't know how important they were until it was too late.”
Samuel explained that shortly before the company collapsed, Robert removed several documents from his office. He suspected someone was changing figures and wanted an independent record of what the business actually owned.
After Samuel disappeared, Robert lost access to the warehouse.
He tried recovering the documents, but Victor's attorneys claimed they belonged to the company.
Eventually, Robert stopped fighting.
“He thought he'd lost everything,” Samuel whispered.
Daniel stared at the floor.
His father had spent his final years driving delivery trucks for other businesses, ashamed that the company bearing his family's name no longer existed.
Daniel remembered the nights Robert came home exhausted, apologizing for not being able to provide the life he'd promised.
Now Samuel was suggesting the failure hadn't been Robert's fault.
“What about the men who attacked you?” Daniel asked.
Samuel shifted uncomfortably.
“I went to the warehouse yesterday. I wanted to see whether the loading dock was still accessible.”
“And?”
“A security guard recognized me.”
“Recognized you?”
Samuel nodded.
“He worked for Victor years ago. I thought he'd forgotten my face.”
Daniel felt anger rising.
“Then someone sent those men after you.”
“Maybe. I can't prove it.”
Ethan listened carefully.
He remembered the tallest attacker pointing toward the building and shouting that Samuel wasn't welcome there.
“Dad,” he said, “they weren't trying to rob him.”
Daniel looked at his son.
“What?”
“They kept telling him to stay away from the warehouse.”
Samuel nodded.
“That may be why they attacked me.”
Daniel turned toward the door.
“Then we're going to the police.”
Samuel caught his sleeve.
“Please be careful.”
Daniel looked back.
“I'm not going to make the same mistake my father made.”
Samuel lowered his eyes.
“Your father didn't make the mistake you think he did.”