Chapter 6 - The Man We Trusted Had Been Waiting For Us
Martin Vale had been my father's attorney for thirty years.
He had handled Daniel's estate.
He had represented me when I was twenty-two.
He had helped me build my first company.
He had sat beside my mother at Daniel's funeral.
I had trusted him more than almost anyone.
Which was why the betrayal felt personal.
We found his office empty.
Computer gone.
Files gone.
Desk cleared.
But on the floor was a photograph.
A picture of Lena.
Taken outside the hospital.
On the back was written:
She was never the target.
Rosalie was.
I understood.
Victor needed Rosie.
Why?
Because Daniel had hidden the final access code inside something tied to her.
I returned to the hospital.
Rosie was awake.
She smiled when she saw me.
"Uncle Ethan."
The word caught me off guard.
Nobody had ever called me that.
I sat beside her.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better."
"Good."
She stared at me.
"Did you find Mama?"
"Not yet."
She lowered her eyes.
"Mama said if you ever came back, I should give you something."
"What?"
She reached into the drawer beside her bed.
A small bracelet.
Blue beads.
"She said Daddy made it."
I looked closely.
One bead was shaped differently.
I opened it.
A tiny piece of paper emerged.
Numbers.
Coordinates.
And one phrase.
River House.
Daniel had owned an old property by the river.
Abandoned.
I knew the place.
I had forgotten it existed.
"Rosie."
"Yes?"
"Did anyone ever tell you why Derek wants you?"
She shook her head.
"Mama said he wasn't my daddy."
"What did she say he wanted?"
"The inheritance."
I frowned.
"Daniel left you an inheritance?"
Rosie nodded.
"He told Mama one day I'd understand."
I stared.
Daniel had hidden money.
But not just money.
Something else.
We went to River House.
The place had been empty for years.
Inside, I found the remains of Daniel's workshop.
Old tools.
Photographs.
A music box.
A children's drawing.
Rosalie.
On the wall was a sentence written in Daniel's handwriting.
A father protects what he cannot publicly claim.
I found another hidden door.
Inside was an old safe.
The blue bracelet opened it.
Inside was a folder.
Birth records.
DNA records.
Property documents.
Daniel had legally established Rosalie as his daughter.
He had also transferred ownership of a trust to her.
The trust contained millions.
But the money wasn't the main point.
The trust gave her control over several properties.
Properties currently controlled by Victor.
The ledger was evidence.
Rosie was leverage.
That was why they wanted her.
I turned toward the doorway.
Martin stood there.
Gun in hand.
"Give me the folder."
I stared.
"You."
He sighed.
"I wish you had never found this."
"Did you kill Daniel?"
"No."
"But you helped cover it."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Your father made a deal."
"With Victor."
"Yes."
"And you?"
"I was trying to protect my family."
"You don't have one."
His face hardened.
"You think you understand sacrifice."
He pointed the gun.
"You don't."
I stepped closer.
"You were willing to sacrifice a child."
He shook his head.
"No."
He looked toward Rosie.
"I was willing to sacrifice myself."
Silence.
"What does that mean?"
Martin's eyes filled with tears.
"Victor has my wife."
I stared.
"He took her six years ago."
"He forced you to work for him?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because he threatened my daughter."
I lowered my weapon.
Martin continued.
"Victor doesn't want Rosie because of the money."
"Then why?"
"Because Daniel knew the truth about a property."
"What property?"
"The old St. Louis river tunnel."
I frowned.
"There is no active tunnel."
"There is an abandoned one."
"What is inside?"
Martin looked at Rosie.
"The original records."
He lowered his gun.
"The names."
"The names of everyone."
I understood.
The ledger was only part of it.
The original evidence was underground.
Daniel had hidden it there.
Victor wanted it destroyed.
Martin had spent years searching.
Then Martin said something that changed everything.
"Lena found it."
I stared.
"When?"
"Three days ago."
"Where is she?"
"With Victor."
My hands tightened.
"And my father?"
"Also with him."
Martin looked at me.
"You have one chance."
May you like
"At what?"
"Get them both before Victor moves them."
