Page 48 of Dagger’s Shield

“That’s your father’s biggest customer,” I said after reading her the statistics.

She leaned in to read it herself. “My mother said the deal made us. A buyer this size, every year—yes. That would do it.”

“The Swiss registry gives me the board, the officers, and the Geneva address they file from. It won’t tell me who owns them. Swiss law doesn’t make a company list its shareholders.”

“So we have the men who run it. Not the one who owns it.”

“Not yet. Which reminds me we’ve been here four days. We should check in.”

“You’re right. We should go to the cottage. I’ll let Maman and Marthe know we’ll be doing some sightseeing and have dinner in the village.”

I sent a message to the K19 team while I waited near the car, letting them know we’d be available for a briefing in an hour. That would give us time to make the drive and get set up for a video call.

“Ready?” Maëlle asked.

I opened the passenger door, and as she got in, she brushed my cheek with her lips. “In case anyone’s watching,” she said.

As I walked around to the driver’s side of the Peugeot, I surveyed the area around us. I doubted very much that anyone would’ve seen us; however, it wasn’t only the kiss that was different. Maëlle’s whole demeanor had changed once I mentioned the cottage. Did the majority of her discomfort come merely from being at Valais? She’d said she realized what she didn’t miss was how she felt when she was here.

It was dusk by the time we made the thirty-minute drive from the chateau to the cottage.

We made our way inside, turning on lights as we went. Maëlle located the thermostat, while I lit a fire in the hearth.

By the time we were settled at the table, with our laptops open and connections made, it was time for the videoconference to begin.

“How is France?” Beacon asked when she and Blackjack appeared in one window. In another were Hornet and Delfino.

“Cold and gray,” Maëlle answered. “I’d say it’s my least favorite time to be here, but then you might ask when my most favorite time is.”

Beacon smiled. “I hear you, Givre.”

Her response made me wonder if Maëlle had confided her familial estrangement, at least with her father.

“Any progress?” Blackjack asked.

“Not until today.” Maëlle explained that her mother had mentioned her father used to travel to Switzerland with some frequency and, when she’d asked why, she said it was for a business deal. “She named the company. It’s Maison Fontenay, and from what she understood, the domaine’s business quadrupled after the deal was made.”

“According to a peripheral search, Fontenay is one of the largest wine and spirits distributors in the world,” I added. “So far, no records I found directly link Géraud to it, but I’ve only started digging.”

“Copy that,” said Blackjack.

“The name gives me more to search for in Valais’ financials as well,” said Maëlle.

“Can you get at the records?” Beacon asked.

“Negative.”

“How are the books kept?” Hornet asked.

“I’ve no idea. My cousin, Rémy, handles the financials.”

“Doesn’t matter. A place that size won’t keep its own books alone—there’ll be an outside accountant somewhere in it.” I could already hear him working. “Give me a night. If I can get in the same way the accountant does, no one at Valais will suspect a thing.”

“And if you can’t?”

“I can. When I get you in, Givre—look, don’t touch. Read what’s there and come back out clean.”

“Understood.”