Chapter 9: The Man Who Helped Steal My Mother's Work
Martin Reeves didn't answer his office phone.
He didn't respond to Eleanor's email.
And when we arrived at Westbridge Academy the following morning, the principal told us he had taken unexpected leave.
I stood in the administration office, staring at the empty chair behind the glass partition.
"Did he say when he'd return?"" I asked.
The principal shook her head.
"He submitted his leave request yesterday afternoon.""
Eleanor exchanged a glance with Dad.
"Did he take any personal belongings?""
"I believe so.""
"Did he remove school records?""
The principal hesitated.
"Why are you asking?""
Eleanor placed a document on the desk.
"We're investigating the unauthorized use of school certification documents in a private intellectual property dispute.""
The principal's face tightened.
"I've already reported the forged certificate to the school board.""
"Good. We also need access to any correspondence between Mr. Reeves and Vantage Intelligent Systems.""
The principal nodded slowly.
"I'll arrange it.""
As we turned to leave, she called after us.
"Miss Carter?""
I looked back.
"Yes?""
She seemed uncomfortable.
"Mr. Reeves requested a meeting with Brielle last week. Privately.""
I felt my stomach drop.
"Why?""
"He said he wanted to discuss the company's sponsorship agreement.""
I looked at Eleanor.
"Did Brielle attend?""
The principal nodded.
"She did.""
I immediately called Brielle.
She answered after three rings.
"Maya?""
"Did you meet Martin Reeves last week?""
Silence.
Then she said, "Yes.""
"What did he want?""
"He asked me whether I understood the legal documents I'd signed.""
My heart began pounding.
"What documents?""
Brielle lowered her voice.
"Mom gave me a declaration. She said it was just for the company website.""
"Did you sign it?""
"Yes.""
"What did it say?""
"I don't know. I didn't read all of it.""
I closed my eyes.
Another signature.
Another document.
Another person who'd trusted Vanessa.
"Brielle, we need to see it.""
She whispered, "I don't have it.""
"Where is it?""
"Mom keeps everything in her office.""
I looked at Eleanor.
"Then we need to get a copy.""
Vanessa's office was inside the Vantage building.
We couldn't simply walk in and demand documents, so Eleanor arranged a formal records request through the company's legal representatives.
They refused.
Their response arrived two hours later.
Vantage Intelligent Systems rejects the allegations made by Maya Carter and reserves all rights to pursue damages for defamatory statements.
Eleanor read the message twice.
"She's trying to intimidate us.""
Dad paced beside her desk.
"Can we stop the company from selling the technology?""
"We can request urgent court protection, but we'll need strong evidence.""
Arthur called shortly afterward.
He had found something.
An old company ledger showed that Vanessa had transferred money from Carter Advanced Robotics into a private account shortly before my mother's death.
The account was registered under a company called Meridian Holdings.
Eleanor searched the name.
It was dissolved four years ago.
But the director listed on its final filing was Martin Reeves.
Dad stopped pacing.
"Martin was involved in the money transfers?""
Arthur nodded.
"That's what the records suggest.""
I stared at the screen.
"So he helped Vanessa steal from Mom.""
"We need to be careful with that conclusion," Eleanor warned.
"But his involvement is certainly suspicious.""
Arthur opened another file.
"There's something more important. The original Aurora files weren't stored at the company office.""
"Where were they?"" I asked.
"Your mother kept a physical backup in a private archive.""
"Where?""
Arthur looked at me.
"Westbridge.""
I frowned.
"At school?""
He nodded.
"Before your mother became ill, she donated several old robotics machines and technical materials to the school's engineering department. She used a locked archive room to store confidential research documents.""
I looked at Eleanor.
"Does that room still exist?""
"The school has an old engineering storage facility," she said.
"But we need authorization to access it.""
Arthur's voice became urgent.
"Vanessa knew about the archive. If she realizes we're looking for it, she'll try to get there first.""
The principal reluctantly agreed to accompany us to the old engineering building that afternoon.
The facility had been closed for renovation, and dust covered the windows.
A maintenance worker unlocked the side entrance.
Inside, the air smelled of cardboard and rust.
We walked down a narrow corridor until we reached a metal door.
A faded label was attached to it.
*RESTRICTED TECHNICAL ARCHIVE*
The principal looked surprised.
"I've never seen this room used.""
Arthur had joined us in person.
He examined the lock.
"Your mother installed this herself.""
He took a small key from his pocket.
I stared at him.
"You had the key?""
"She gave me a duplicate.""
The lock turned.
The door opened with a metallic groan.
Inside were shelves of old computers, engineering books, and sealed storage containers.
A small wooden cabinet stood against the back wall.
Arthur walked straight toward it.
"She kept the original archive here.""
He unlocked the cabinet.
There were several folders.
One contained the original Aurora patent application.
Another held handwritten engineering notes.
But the third folder was empty.
I looked at Arthur.
"Where are the files?""
He examined the shelf.
"They should be here.""
Dad moved closer.
"Are you sure?""
Arthur nodded.
"Absolutely.""
I noticed a small piece of paper caught beneath the cabinet.
I pulled it free.
It was a receipt.
The date was from three weeks earlier.
The item description read:
*SECURE STORAGE TRANSFER — CARTER ADVANCED ROBOTICS*
And beneath it was a signature.
Martin Reeves.
I looked at Eleanor.
"He removed the files.""
She photographed the receipt.
"Or arranged for someone else to remove them.""
Arthur looked devastated.
"Your mother trusted this school.""
I stared at the empty cabinet.
"So did I.""
Then my phone vibrated.
An email from an unknown sender.
There was no subject line.
Only one sentence.
If you want to know what happened to your mother's original files, come alone to the old laboratory tonight.
Below it was an address.
Arthur read the message over my shoulder.
"No.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
"You are not going anywhere alone.""
Eleanor immediately forwarded the email to the authorities.
"We'll verify the address and arrange a safe meeting if appropriate.""
But before she could finish, another message arrived.
This one contained an attachment.
A photograph.
I opened it.
My mother's old laboratory.
The same room from the video.
A person stood beside the main workbench.
Their face was hidden by the angle of the photograph.
But I recognized the jacket.
It belonged to Vanessa.
That evening, Dad insisted that we stay together.
Brielle came downstairs carrying a small backpack.
"Can I talk to you?""
I followed her into the kitchen.
She placed her phone on the counter.
"I found something in Mom's office.""
"What?""
She opened a photograph.
It showed a document with the Vantage logo.
At the top was a list of planned transactions.
The first involved the Aurora Framework.
The second involved the sale of my mother's original company records.
The third was a payment to Martin Reeves.
The amount was $80,000.
I stared at it.
"Why would Vanessa pay him?""
Brielle swallowed.
"Because he was supposed to destroy the original files.""
I looked up.
"How do you know?""
She opened another message.
It was from Martin.
The archive is empty. The originals are secured. I need the remaining payment before I complete the final transfer.
Vanessa's reply was brief.
You will be paid when Maya signs the settlement.
My blood ran cold.
"What settlement?""
Brielle showed me the next attachment.
It was a legal agreement.
Vantage offered to withdraw its ownership claim if I signed over all rights to A.R.I.A. and the Aurora Framework.
In exchange, the company would pay me $10,000.
I laughed in disbelief.
Ten thousand dollars.
After stealing my mother's money, copying my invention, and trying to sell her life's work for nearly a million.
They wanted me to surrender everything for ten thousand dollars.
I looked at Brielle.
"Why are you showing me this?""
She wiped her eyes.
"Because I signed something too.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
She opened a second document.
A declaration stating that she had developed A.R.I.A. independently.
But there was a clause at the bottom.
It required her to testify that I had stolen the design from Vantage.
I looked at her.
"They wanted you to accuse me?""
She nodded.
"Mom said if I didn't, she'd make sure I was blamed for everything.""
I stared at the document.
Then I noticed the date.
The declaration had been signed two days before the competition.
I looked at Brielle.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I was scared.""
Her voice broke.
"I thought if I did what Mom wanted, she'd finally be proud of me.""
I couldn't find an answer.
She stepped closer.
"I don't expect you to forgive me. But I want to help you.""
Before I could respond, Dad entered the kitchen.
His phone was in his hand.
His face was pale.
"Maya, we have a serious problem.""
"What now?""
He showed me an email.
It was from Vantage's legal team.
The company had filed an emergency court application.
They were requesting an order preventing me from accessing, operating, or demonstrating A.R.I.A.
But that wasn't the worst part.
Attached was a sworn statement from Martin Reeves.
He claimed that my mother had sold the Aurora Framework to Vanessa years earlier.
He also claimed that the original files had been destroyed with my mother's consent.
I read the final paragraph.
I personally witnessed Elizabeth Carter transfer all intellectual property rights to Vanessa Carter.
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"He's lying.""
Eleanor's voice came through Dad's speaker.
"I know. But the court will need evidence.""
Arthur had joined the call.
His voice sounded strained.
"There's one document Vanessa doesn't know we have.""
"What document?"" I asked.
"The original shareholder register.""
"Where is it?""
Arthur paused.
Then he said something that changed everything.
"Your mother hid it inside the first Aurora prototype. The one she gave to Westbridge.""
I looked toward the old photograph in my hand.
The machine with two mechanical arms.
The prototype had been sitting in the school archive all along.
But the archive was empty.
And if Martin had removed the original files, he might have taken the prototype too.
I looked at Eleanor.
"Can we find out where he moved it?""
She nodded.
"We'll start immediately.""
Then Arthur spoke again.
"Maya, there's something I didn't tell you about that prototype.""
I turned toward the phone.
"What?""
He took a shaky breath.
"Your mother installed a second memory system inside it. A system that recorded every conversation in the laboratory during its final six months.""
My heart began racing.
"Every conversation?""
Arthur nodded.
"Including the night Vanessa tried to steal the Aurora Framework.""
For the first time, I felt the truth might finally be within reach.
Then Arthur added one final sentence.
"There's another voice on that recording, Maya. Someone you haven't suspected.""
May you like
And when he told me whose voice it was, I couldn't move.
It was my father's.
