Chapter 9 - The Man Richard Failed to Bury

Anthony Voss lived two hours north.

Small house.

No gates.

No guards.

He answered the door himself.

Seventy-two.

White beard.

Cane in one hand.

Amelia started crying before he spoke.

Anthony looked at her.

“You’re Eleanor’s daughter.”

She nodded.

He touched her cheek.

“You have her smile.”

Victor stepped forward.

Anthony’s face changed.

“Brother.”

Victor could not speak.

They hugged.

Christian watched from the porch.

Charles stood beside him.

Fifteen years of missing men.

Now two of them were standing in daylight.

Anthony brought them inside.

A black leather case rested on the dining table.

The same one from the photograph.

Christian looked at it.

“You kept it.”

Anthony nodded.

“Richard spent years looking in cities.”

He smiled faintly.

“I kept it in a farmhouse.”

Victor opened the case.

Original contracts.

Bank transfers.

Route payments.

Board documents.

And a small recorder.

Anthony looked at Christian.

“That recorder contains Richard’s calls after the airport.”

Christian picked it up.

“Enough to convict him?”

Anthony shook his head.

“Enough to prove conspiracy and fraud. Maybe more.”

Charles asked:

“Why wait fifteen years?”

Anthony looked at him.

“I didn’t.”

Everyone turned.

“I gave copies to investigators.”

Christian frowned.

“Then why is Richard free?”

“Because Leonard changed his testimony.”

Leonard, who had come with them, lowered his eyes.

Anthony continued.

“Victor denied knowing anything.”

Victor looked ashamed.

“I was protecting Amelia.”

Anthony nodded.

“And Charles vanished.”

Charles accepted the accusation.

Anthony looked at all three men.

“Richard survived because everyone made one understandable choice.”

Christian said:

“And together those choices protected him.”

“Yes.”

Silence.

Amelia looked at her uncle.

“What happened after he took you from the airport?”

Anthony’s face hardened.

“He wanted the case.”

“Did he hurt you?”

“He tried.”

Victor looked away.

Anthony continued.

“I escaped at a fuel stop. A state officer found me. I turned over copies.”

Christian asked:

“Why witness protection?”

“Because Richard had already bought information from two people in local law enforcement.”

Charles looked at the documents.

“So what changes now?”

Anthony looked at Christian.

“You.”

Christian frowned.

“Me?”

“You control DeLuca Shipping.”

“Yes.”

“Richard no longer controls the board?”

“No.”

“Leonard is willing to testify?”

Leonard nodded.

“Yes.”

“Victor?”

Victor looked at Amelia.

Then at Anthony.

“Yes.”

Anthony looked at Charles.

“And you?”

Charles answered:

“Yes.”

Anthony smiled sadly.

“That is what changes.”

Christian’s phone rang.

Unknown number.

He answered.

Richard.

“You found him.”

Christian looked around the room.

“Yes.”

Richard laughed softly.

“You always were quick.”

Christian’s voice stayed calm.

“It’s over.”

“No.”

Richard answered.

“It becomes over when people stop being afraid.”

Christian looked at his father.

Then Victor.

Then Leonard.

Then Anthony.

“They have.”

Silence.

Richard spoke again.

“Ask your fiancée what she did two months ago.”

Christian looked at Amelia.

Her face changed.

Richard continued.

“She didn’t only try to pay Samuel.”

Christian’s stomach tightened.

“What did she do?”

Richard laughed.

“Ask her who warned me Charles had contacted Victor.”

The call ended.

Christian stared at Amelia.

Everyone else did too.

She began crying.

“Christian.”

He waited.

She closed her eyes.

“I called Richard.”

Victor whispered:

“Amelia.”

She looked at Christian.

“I didn’t know he caused the disappearance.”

“When?”

“Two months ago.”

“Why?”

“Because my father was terrified.”

Victor stared.

“I never asked you to.”

“No.”

She shook her head.

“I saw you meeting Charles. I thought Richard could explain what was happening.”

Christian’s voice became colder.

“So you told him my father was alive.”

“Yes.”

Charles looked at the floor.

Amelia stepped closer.

“I realized what I had done the next day.”

“And then?”

“I tried to stop Samuel from reaching you because I thought if the truth came out before we knew everything, Richard would move again.”

Christian stared at her.

“So you lied.”

“Yes.”

“You paid Samuel.”

“I tried.”

“You hid my father.”

“Yes.”

Her voice broke.

“But I did not do it to protect Richard.”

Christian looked at the engagement ring on her hand.

“That doesn’t make it harmless.”

“I know.”

He was silent for a long time.

Then removed his phone.

Called security.

“Send the full evidence package to federal investigators.”

Charles looked at him.

Christian continued.

“And freeze Richard’s access to every DeLuca account.”

He ended the call.

Anthony nodded.

“That will make him come to you.”

Christian looked at him.

“I know.”

Amelia whispered:

“What are you going to do?”

Christian looked at the ring.

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Then at her.

“Finish this.”