Chapter 9 - THE WOMAN WHO NEVER DIEDSamuel finally told them the truth.
His wife, Eleanor, had disappeared five years earlier.
The official story was that she had died after a medical emergency.
But Samuel had never seen the body.
Never seen the hospital records.
Never received a death certificate he trusted.
And yet, someone had convinced him to stop looking.
Until Daniel's recording.
Ryan stared at Samuel.
“Why would they make you believe she was dead?”
Samuel looked at the recording device.
“Because Eleanor knew everything.”
Diane whispered,
“About the money.”
“About the company.”
“About Andrew.”
“Yes.”
Ryan asked,
“Where is she now?”
Samuel shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
Samuel answered.
A woman's voice came through.
Weak.
Older.
But familiar.
“Samuel?”
He froze.
His entire body stopped moving.
“Eleanor?”
Ryan looked at him.
Samuel could barely breathe.
“Where are you?”
“I don't have much time.”
“Where are you?”
“Northstar.”
Samuel's eyes widened.
“What?”
“Basement level.”
She whispered.
“Archive room.”
The call ended.
Samuel turned toward Diane.
“Get security.”
Ryan stood.
“I'll go.”
Samuel grabbed his arm.
“No.”
Ryan looked at him.
“You don't know what's down there.”
Samuel's eyes hardened.
“I've spent five years wondering whether my wife was alive.”
He released Ryan.
“I'm going.”
They descended.
Basement level.
Old archive room.
The door was locked.
Samuel pulled out his old phone.
Then stopped.
A voice came from inside.
“Samuel.”
He froze.
“Eleanor?”
The door opened.
An elderly woman stood there.
Thin.
Pale.
Gray hair.
But unmistakably Eleanor Brooks.
Samuel stared.
For five seconds, neither moved.
Then he stepped forward.
She touched his face.
“You got old.”
Samuel laughed through tears.
“So did you.”
She smiled.
Then collapsed into his arms.
Ryan looked away.
Diane wiped her eyes.
After a few minutes, Eleanor spoke.
“Daniel discovered everything.”
She explained.
The fraud.
The shell companies.
The manipulation of the trust.
The poisoning.
Andrew had worked with Richard Vale for years.
When Daniel discovered them, they tried to silence him.
When Eleanor tried to expose them, they staged her death.
She had survived.
But she had been forced into hiding.
“Why didn't you contact Samuel?”
Eleanor looked at him.
“Because they threatened to kill you.”
Samuel shook his head.
“I would have come.”
“I know.”
She smiled sadly.
“That was exactly why I stayed away.”
Then she looked at Ryan.
“Who is he?”
Samuel smiled.
“Ryan.”
Eleanor studied him.
“The intern?”
Ryan nodded.
Samuel said:
“He defended me.”
Eleanor laughed softly.
“Then I understand.”
Ryan frowned.
“Understand what?”
Eleanor looked at Samuel.
“You finally found him.”
Samuel nodded.
Then a noise came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Eleanor's expression changed.
“They found us.”
The lights flickered.
A man's voice echoed through the corridor.
“Uncle Samuel.”
Andrew.
Samuel stepped in front of Eleanor.
Ryan moved beside him.
Andrew appeared at the end of the hallway.
He held a folder.
“You should have stayed invisible.”
Samuel looked at him.
“I was never invisible.”
Andrew smiled.
“That was your mistake.”
Samuel shook his head.
“No.”
He glanced at Ryan.
“My mistake was thinking you were family.”
Andrew's smile vanished.
Then security lights suddenly flooded the hallway.
Diane stepped forward.
“Andrew Brooks.”
Police officers entered behind her.
Andrew looked around.
He was trapped.
But instead of surrendering, he laughed.
“You think this ends here?”
Samuel stared.
Andrew dropped the folder.
It opened.
Inside was one final photograph.
Daniel.
Standing beside Richard Vale.
May you like
And beside them…
Olivia Hayes.
