Chapter 118: Thomas Denies the Photograph

Thomas Grant denied sending the photograph before Louis finished asking the question. His reaction appeared genuine, but no one treated appearance as proof anymore.

He recognized Julian's interview phrasing immediately. Thomas had attended several early Northwind sessions as Evelyn's legal representative, though he insisted he never participated in model design.

When shown the photograph, Thomas identified the charity event and remembered Evelyn ordering foundation photographers to document every major family gathering. Copies would have existed in at least three archives.

Derek asked who currently controlled those archives. One belonged to the Stone Foundation, one had been transferred to Evelyn's old estate office, and one was maintained by a private records company.

The private records company had been acquired five years earlier by a holding firm connected to Meridian.

There was Adrian again.

That made him the obvious suspect, but Freya had learned to distrust obvious answers. Adrian already knew enough to unsettle them. Why send a cryptic message instead of simply revealing what he knew?

Thomas offered another possibility. Project Northwind had employed temporary interviewers, data-entry contractors, and outside psychologists. Nadia's claim that only four people knew the method might refer to senior staff, not everyone who saw the materials.

Derek began building a complete personnel list.

Meanwhile, investigators working on Freya's parents' accident obtained permission to reinterview the truck driver. His first statement remained unchanged: brake failure, panic, collision. But when shown financial records concerning the cash purchase made by his relative after his release, he requested an attorney.

That did not prove guilt, but it increased pressure.

Freya felt torn between two mysteries. One involved her parents' deaths and Adrian's financial network. The other involved a novel from another world that somehow mirrored Project Northwind. She worried the second would distract them from evidence that could actually produce justice.

Louis agreed. "We prioritize what can harm people now."

That meant Adrian, the accident investigation, and preservation of the behavioral data came first. The cross-world mystery could remain unanswered without stopping them from acting.

Freya appreciated the decision. She had spent her entire new life wondering why she was here. She did not need that answer more than she needed the truth about her parents.

Thomas then surprised them by volunteering access to his old personal calendar backups. If someone had used his identity or copied Northwind phrasing, the calendars might show who visited him around key dates.

Derek found an entry from six weeks before Stone Holdings collapsed: NW review — A.S., T.G., R.M.

A.S. was almost certainly Adrian Stone. T.G. was Thomas.

No one recognized R.M.

Thomas stared at the initials for a long time before his expression changed.

"I do," he said quietly.

"Who?" Freya asked.

Thomas looked directly at Louis.

"Richard Mercer. Julian Cross's former data engineer."

According to official records, Richard Mercer had died nine years ago.

Thomas shook his head.

"No. Adrian helped him disappear."

Louis asked Thomas directly whether he had ever seen Mercer after the Stone collapse. Thomas could not remember, but his old records placed Raymond Miles near Meridian projects afterward. Derek treated every answer as a lead requiring verification. Thomas's cooperation had become useful, but trust was not automatically restored.

Louis asked Thomas directly whether he had ever seen Mercer after the Stone collapse. Thomas could not remember, but his old records placed Raymond Miles near Meridian projects afterward. Derek treated every answer as a lead requiring verification. Thomas's cooperation had become useful, but trust was not automatically restored.

Louis asked Thomas directly whether he had ever seen Mercer after the Stone collapse. Thomas could not remember, but his old records placed Raymond Miles near Meridian projects afterward. Derek treated every answer as a lead requiring verification. Thomas's cooperation had become useful, but trust was not automatically restored.