Chapter 7 - The Safe-Deposit Box in Vermont
Daniel woke six hours later.
Weak.
Pale.
Alive.
Marco sat beside him.
The bullet was gone.
The scar remained.
Daniel looked at Marco.
“You signed.”
“Yes.”
“You still consider me family.”
Marco stared.
“Don’t make this harder.”
Daniel almost smiled.
“Fair.”
Marco held up the Vermont key.
“Robert says this is yours.”
Daniel’s smile disappeared.
“Yes.”
“What’s inside?”
“Proof.”
“Of what?”
“That your uncle never planned to stop.”
Marco’s face hardened.
Daniel continued.
“Even after I disappeared.”
“What did he do?”
“He built a second network.”
“Using my name?”
“No.”
“Whose?”
Daniel looked toward the hallway.
“Vanessa’s.”
Marco froze.
“Vanessa Bell?”
“No.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Vanessa Marie.”
Robert’s missing sister.
Marco stared.
“Why use her?”
“Because officially she was the witness.”
“Untraceable.”
“Easy to blame.”
Vanessa entered.
She had heard enough.
“My aunt’s identity.”
Daniel nodded.
“Your uncle used shell companies under her name.”
Vanessa looked at Robert.
He closed his eyes.
Marco asked:
“Is that why she disappeared from Robert?”
“Yes.”
“She found out.”
“When?”
“Eleven years ago.”
“The last time Robert heard from her.”
“Yes.”
Marco held up the key.
“And the box?”
“Contains copies she sent me.”
“Why didn’t you expose it?”
Daniel looked at his son.
“Because your uncle had one more threat.”
Marco waited.
Daniel’s voice broke.
“Your mother.”
Marco froze.
“My mother was already dead eleven years ago.”
Daniel looked down.
“No.”
Silence.
Marco stared.
“What?”
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Robert stopped moving.
Marco leaned closer.
“My mother died when I was nineteen.”
Daniel shook his head.
“She disappeared.”
“No.”
Marco stood.
“No.”
“Marco—”
“I went to her funeral.”
“There was a coffin.”
“Yes.”
“I saw it.”
“Closed.”
Marco stared.
Daniel’s eyes filled.
“Your mother survived.”
The room disappeared.
Marco whispered:
“Where is she?”
Daniel looked toward the key.
“Vermont.”
Silence.
Vanessa sat down.
Robert looked stunned.
Even Grant, standing at the doorway, froze.
Marco’s voice shook.
“My mother is alive.”
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.”
“For fifteen years.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew.”
“Yes.”
Marco turned away.
Then back.
“Why?”
Daniel’s voice broke.
“Your uncle threatened her.”
“Again.”
“Yes.”
“He told her if she appeared, he would kill you.”
Marco laughed bitterly.
“He had one line.”
“It worked.”
Marco stared at his father.
“You let me bury both parents.”
Daniel cried.
“Yes.”
Marco looked at the brass key.
“Is Mom with Vanessa Marie?”
“Yes.”
“Right now?”
“I don’t know.”
“When did you last speak?”
“Two weeks ago.”
Marco froze.
“The same time you got the X-ray.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“She came to the clinic.”
Marco stared.
“My mother was here.”
“Yes.”
“Vanessa knew?”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
“Robert?”
“No.”
“Grant?”
Grant answered.
“Yes.”
Marco turned.
The old surgeon looked ashamed.
Marco laughed once.
“Of course.”
Grant whispered:
“She asked me not to tell you.”
Marco’s face hardened.
“Everyone asks everyone not to tell me.”
Grant had no answer.
Daniel said:
“She was afraid.”
Marco looked at him.
“I know.”
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