Chapter 6 - THE FOURTH TAPE

Adrian’s father had been dead for twelve years.

Mara knew that much.

Matthew Cole, former accountant, heart attack at fifty-one.

Adrian rarely spoke about him.

When he did, it was with a strange combination of resentment and obligation.

He was complicated, Adrian used to say.

Mara had never asked what that meant.

Now Eleanor’s voice filled the bank’s private room.

“Matthew Cole handled Victor’s books before Victor married me. He also handled some of Thomas’s business accounts. The night Thomas died, Matthew was on the boat because Thomas had discovered money missing from Blackwater Holdings.”

June squeezed Mara’s hand.

Eleanor continued.

“Thomas called me at 9:14 p.m. He said, ‘Matt found it. Victor’s been bleeding the company for years. I’m going to the harbor. Call Edwin if I’m not home by midnight.’”

Mara looked at Edwin, who sat across from them.

His face had gone pale.

“You never told me,” she whispered.

“I never received a call.”

On the tape, Eleanor said, “I did not call Edwin.”

Edwin closed his eyes.

“I was angry with Thomas. We had fought that evening. I thought he was being dramatic. I told myself he would come home.”

Mara’s throat tightened.

“At 11:40 p.m., Victor arrived at the house alone. His clothes were wet. He said Thomas’s boat had gone out and something was wrong.”

June whispered, “No.”

“By dawn, the Coast Guard had found debris.”

Eleanor’s voice shook.

“Matthew Cole survived.”

Mara stared at the recorder.

“He came to me two days later. He had bruises on his throat. He said Thomas confronted Victor on the boat. Victor admitted taking money. Thomas threatened police. Victor had loosened the boom line before they left the dock, planning to frighten Thomas into backing down.”

Mara could barely breathe.

“But the storm came faster than expected. The boom snapped. Thomas was struck and went overboard.”

June covered her mouth.

Mara pictured her father in black water.

Calling for help.

Eleanor continued.

“Matthew said Victor could have thrown Thomas a line.”

The tape hissed.

“He didn’t.”

Mara’s eyes burned.

“Victor watched Thomas disappear.”

Edwin removed his glasses and pressed his fingers against his eyes.

“Matthew wanted to go to police,” Eleanor said. “Victor threatened Adrian, who was seventeen at the time. He threatened Matthew’s wife. Matthew agreed to change the accounting records and support Victor’s version of events.”

Mara’s stomach turned.

“Years later, Matthew sent me a letter. He said guilt had destroyed him. He included copies of account ledgers and a statement describing what happened on the boat.”

June leaned forward.

“Where?”

Eleanor answered as if she heard.

“I hid Matthew’s statement where Victor would never look because he hates reminders of Thomas.”

Mara and June exchanged a glance.

“The blue sailboat model in the parlor.”

Mara stood so quickly her chair scraped.

Edwin said, “Wait.”

“There’s a statement in the house.”

“If Victor knows Tape Four exists—”

“He may already know where it points.”

They drove fast.

Too fast.

Mara called Agent Ortiz on the way.

No answer.

Edwin called the local police.

June called Adrian.

Mara looked at her.

“Why him?”

“Because if Victor knows what Matthew did, Adrian is part of this whether you like it or not.”

Adrian answered.

June put him on speaker.

“What?”

“Where are you?”

“At a hotel.”

“Victor knows your father left a statement.”

Silence.

Then Adrian said, “What statement?”

Mara spoke.

“Your father was on the boat when mine died.”

A long pause.

“What?”

“Eleanor recorded it.”

“My father never—”

“He saw Victor let Thomas drown.”

Adrian’s breathing changed.

“No.”

“Your father changed the records afterward.”

“No.”

“He sent my mother evidence years later.”

Adrian sounded as if he were moving.

“Where are you?”

“Going to the house.”

“Don’t.”

Mara’s pulse jumped.

“Why?”

“Victor called me ten minutes ago.”

June looked at her.

“What did he say?”

“He asked whether I knew what my father had done with ‘the confession.’ I told him I didn’t know what he was talking about.”

“Where is Victor?”

“I don’t know.”

Mara pressed the accelerator.

They reached Blackwater Lane in twelve minutes.

Smoke was rising from the house.

“No.”

Mara slammed the brakes.

Flames glowed orange behind the parlor windows.

June grabbed her arm.

“Wait for the fire department.”

“The boat.”

“Mara!”

She ran.

The front door was unlocked.

Smoke rolled along the ceiling.

Mara pulled her sweater over her mouth and dropped low.

The parlor curtains were burning.

The old blue sailboat model sat on the mantel.

She reached for it.

A beam cracked above her.

June appeared behind her.

“Get out!”

Mara lifted the model.

It was heavier than it looked.

They ran toward the door.

A section of ceiling collapsed behind them.

They stumbled onto the porch coughing.

Edwin shouted from the lawn.

Sirens approached.

June took the model from Mara and smashed it against the stone step.

Wood splintered.

Inside the hollow base was a plastic-wrapped envelope.

Mara grabbed it.

The handwriting on the front belonged to someone she had never seen.

ELEANOR — IF I LOSE MY NERVE, GIVE THIS TO EDWIN. M.C.

Mara opened it.

The first page was a signed statement.

I, Matthew Cole, declare the following to be true...

Headlights swept across the yard.

A car stopped hard.

Adrian ran toward them.

He saw the burning house.

Then the papers in Mara’s hands.

Then his father’s name.

His face crumpled.

Mara gave him the statement.

He read.

Halfway down the first page, he sat on the wet grass.

“No.”

Mara watched him.

He looked suddenly seventeen.

“My father told me he ruined someone’s life,” Adrian whispered. “Before he died. He was in the hospital and kept saying, ‘I should have thrown the line.’ I thought he was delirious.”

Mara’s heart tightened despite herself.

Adrian looked up.

“He said, ‘I let fear make me a coward.’”

June turned away.

Firefighters arrived.

Agent Ortiz came ten minutes later.

She took custody of Matthew’s statement, photographed the recovered pages, and ordered an officer to secure the property.

“Preliminary cause?” Mara asked.

Ortiz looked at the flames.

“Too early.”

June said, “Victor.”

“Likely.”

“That isn’t good enough.”

“It has to be until evidence says otherwise.”

Mara watched the house burn.

Her mother’s curtains.

Her childhood photographs.

The staircase where June used to slide down the banister.

The kitchen where Eleanor had lied to them for eighteen years and loved them every day anyway.

Adrian stood beside her.

“I’m sorry.”

Mara did not look at him.

“I know.”

“I’ll testify.”

“I know.”

“Even if it sends me to prison.”

Mara looked at him then.

“That’s the first useful thing you’ve said without asking for forgiveness.”

He nodded.

“I know.”

The next morning, Agent Ortiz called.

They found gasoline residue near the back door.

They also found a partial fingerprint on the fuel can.

Samuel Dorr’s.

Mara stared at June.

“Dorr is in custody.”

“Was.”

“What?”

Ortiz’s voice was grim.

“He made bail at six this morning.”

June stood.

“Where is he?”

“We don’t know.”

Mara’s phone buzzed with an unknown number.

A photo message.

It showed Edwin Price stepping out of his office.

Taken from across the street.

Below it were six words.

BRING ME THE TAPES OR HE DIES.

Mara’s blood turned to ice.

Another message arrived.

NO POLICE.

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BLACKWATER PIER.