She had no job and no certainty about the tape, but she now had two separate problems with two separate paths forward.
That distinction helped her breathe.
Chapter 11: The Guest Who Returned
Franklin Voss came to Samuel’s apartment the following afternoon without an appointment.
Samuel lived in a narrow building in Queens, surrounded by books, theater posters, and boxes of photographs that had survived several moves.
Franklin arrived in a tailored gray coat and carried a paper bag containing expensive pastries.
Samuel refused to let the gift turn the meeting into a social visit.
“If you came about the collection, speak plainly,” he said.
Franklin sat beside a window overlooking a small community garden.
He explained that his warehouse company had accepted the Lantern costumes as collateral on an unpaid loan made to a theater production business.
The business later dissolved, and the warehouse treated the items as abandoned property.
Samuel asked whether Franklin had examined the embroidered ownership labels inside the garments.
Franklin admitted that he had not.
“Those labels identify the trust,” Samuel said.
“My wife sewed most of them herself.”
Franklin removed his glasses and cleaned them unnecessarily.
He claimed Victoria had assured him the trust had no active legal standing.
Samuel asked whether that assurance had appeared in writing.
Franklin said he would need to check.
“Then you are not bringing me an explanation,” Samuel replied.
“You are bringing me a reason you stopped asking questions.”
Franklin’s expression tightened.
He owned parts of three hotels, funded a foundation scholarship, and had built his career on presenting himself as a guardian of Manhattan history.
For years, his warehouse had displayed one of the Lantern costumes during private events, complete with a sign crediting his generosity.
Now a former theater employee was telling him the object had never belonged to him.
“What do you want?” Franklin asked.
Samuel answered that he wanted a complete inventory, independent verification, and a process for returning items that did not belong to the warehouse.
He also wanted the foundation to stop using Marion’s name without permission.
Franklin stared at the unwrapped pastries for a moment.
“Victoria has friends who won’t enjoy this,” he said.
“They can dislike the truth without changing it,” Samuel replied.
After Franklin left, Samuel called Nora and described the meeting in detail.
He did not assume the businessman had become an ally.
Franklin had offered no documents and no signed commitments.
But he had acknowledged a chain of possession that could be checked.
