Chapter 6 - The House in Mérida

They landed before sunrise.

Adrian said almost nothing.

Elena sat beside him.

Alessandra across from them.

Father Thomas prayed quietly.

I sat near the door.

Then Adrian looked at me.

"If anything happens, stay with Elena."

She frowned.

"I don't need a guard."

"No."

Adrian looked at her.

"You need one person in this mess who doesn't have a secret."

I almost laughed.

"That may be optimistic."

Adrian nodded.

"Probably."

The house outside Mérida was small.

White walls.

Blue gate.

The front door was open.

Kitchen.

Two cups.

One broken chair.

No blood.

No bodies.

Elena called:

"Mom?"

Nothing.

Father Thomas found a note.

ADRIAN.

COME TO SAN MIGUEL CHAPEL.

BRING NO POLICE.

BRING THOMAS.

Adrian looked at the priest.

"You."

Thomas closed his eyes.

"Daniel wants me."

"Why?"

"Because I know the vault."

"What vault?"

Thomas looked toward an old church visible on the hill.

"The original Saint Gabriel archive."

"In Mexico?"

"Gabriel moved it years ago."

Adrian understood.

"My mother was guarding it."

"With Michael."

They reached the chapel at sunrise.

Old stone.

Empty pews.

Daniel Santoro stood near the altar.

Forty-two.

Dark suit.

No clerical collar.

Lucia sat on one side.

Michael on the other.

Alive.

Unhurt.

Adrian saw his parents for the first time in decades.

He stopped.

Lucia stood.

Her face collapsed.

"Adrian."

Elena walked past him first.

Lucia saw her.

"Elena."

Mother and daughter held each other.

Both crying.

Then Lucia reached for Adrian.

He let her hug him.

His arms stayed down.

Then slowly wrapped around her.

Michael remained near the altar.

Adrian looked at him.

No hug.

Not yet.

Daniel watched all of it.

Then clapped once.

"Beautiful."

Adrian turned.

"Let them go."

Daniel smiled.

"They are not prisoners."

Lucia whispered:

"He is lying."

Daniel's smile disappeared.

Adrian stepped closer.

"What do you want?"

"The key."

Adrian touched his tattoo.

Daniel nodded.

"Your father was clever."

Michael said:

"Not clever enough."

Daniel ignored him.

"The ledger gives locations."

"The seal gives order."

"The priest gives access."

Adrian looked at Father Thomas.

Thomas shook his head.

"I will not open it."

Daniel smiled.

"Then your son disappoints you."

Father Thomas closed his eyes.

Adrian frowned.

Thomas whispered:

"I helped Gabriel."

Adrian stared.

"How?"

"I created false baptism records."

Elena looked at the register.

Thomas continued:

"Children attached to trusts."

"Donor families."

"Names used to hide accounts."

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"You helped create the system."

"Yes."

"And then became a priest."

"After Gabriel killed a bookkeeper."

Silence.

Thomas continued:

"I went to police."

"Gabriel survived the investigation."

"I entered the church because I thought I could spend the rest of my life undoing what I helped build."

Adrian laughed bitterly.

"Everyone eventually discovers morality."

No one argued.

Daniel said:

"The vault."

Adrian looked at him.

"If I open it, what happens?"

"You take what belongs to you."

Lucia shouted:

"Nothing in there belongs to him."

Michael whispered:

"Legally, some of it does."

Adrian turned.

Michael continued:

"Accounts in your name."

"Elena's too."

Daniel smiled.

"You could walk away richer than every man who lied to you."

Adrian stared at him.

Then at Elena.

"What if I don't open it?"

Daniel's smile faded.

"You never learn what your father did with the last account."

Adrian looked at Michael.

His face changed.

One more secret.

"What last account?"

Michael closed his eyes.

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Daniel answered:

"The one opened in Alessandra's name."