Chapter 4 - Lucia’s Mother Knew Why the Vault Survived

Lucia’s mother was named Evelyn Cross.

She entered the library slowly.

She looked at the two keys.

Then at Helen.

“You found both.”

Helen nodded.

Evelyn closed her eyes.

Lucia stared at her.

“Mom.”

Evelyn looked at her daughter.

“I was going to tell you.”

Lucia laughed through tears.

“That sentence should be banned in this house.”

Adrian said nothing.

He held both keys.

“Why did you preserve the vault?”

Evelyn looked at Elena’s red gown.

“Because Elena asked me to.”

Adrian frowned.

“After she disappeared?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“Letters.”

“Where?”

“Portugal.”

“How often?”

“Once or twice a year.”

Adrian looked at Lucia.

She stared at her mother.

“You stayed in contact for eighteen years.”

“Yes.”

“And never told Dad?”

Evelyn hesitated.

Lucia noticed.

“You did tell him.”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“Five years ago.”

Lucia stepped back.

“The same time Adrian’s father came to him.”

“Yes.”

Adrian’s jaw tightened.

“So both of Lucia’s parents knew.”

“Yes.”

“Why keep the keys hidden in the dress?”

Evelyn looked at the gown.

“Because your father searched my house.”

Lucia froze.

“My father searched our house?”

“Yes.”

“For the keys?”

“Yes.”

“He knew you had them?”

“He suspected.”

Lucia’s eyes filled.

“Why didn’t you give them to him?”

“Because by then I knew what he had done.”

Lucia stared.

“What?”

Evelyn took a folder from her handbag.

She placed it on the table.

Inside were old bank statements.

One company appeared repeatedly.

CROSS MARITIME CONSULTING.

Lucia frowned.

“Our family company.”

“Yes.”

Adrian read the dates.

Twenty years.

Nineteen.

Eighteen.

The year Elena disappeared.

He looked at Evelyn.

“What did your husband do?”

Evelyn answered:

“He created the company for Marino money.”

Lucia whispered:

“Dad said it was legitimate shipping consulting.”

“It became legitimate later.”

Silence.

Adrian looked at Lucia.

Another “at first.”

Nobody needed to say it.

Evelyn continued.

“Your grandfather used Thomas Cross to move money.”

Lucia’s father.

“Thomas knew?”

“Yes.”

“How much?”

“Enough.”

Lucia closed her eyes.

Evelyn continued.

“When Elena found the accounts, she came to me.”

“Why you?”

“Because we were friends.”

Adrian looked surprised.

“You and my mother?”

“Yes.”

“How long?”

“Since university.”

Lucia stared.

“You never told me that.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because Thomas told me never to say Elena’s name after she left.”

Adrian’s expression hardened.

“And you listened.”

“For years.”

“Why?”

Evelyn looked ashamed.

“Because I was afraid.”

Adrian nodded.

He had heard enough fear for one lifetime.

“What did Dad offer Thomas five years ago?”

“Twenty percent.”

“Yes.”

“Why would Thomas want Marino shares if he already had access to the money?”

“Because access is not ownership.”

Lucia stared at her mother.

“So Dad wanted part of Adrian’s company.”

“Yes.”

“Did he agree to help destroy the vault?”

Evelyn nodded.

“Yes.”

Lucia covered her face.

Adrian asked:

“What stopped them?”

Evelyn looked toward the phone.

Elena was still listening.

“Elena.”

Adrian frowned.

“She was in Portugal.”

“Yes.”

“She called Thomas.”

Lucia looked up.

“Mom?”

Evelyn nodded.

“Your father heard her voice for the first time in thirteen years.”

“What did she say?”

Evelyn answered:

“She said if the vault was destroyed, copies would go to prosecutors.”

Adrian looked at the phone.

“You had copies.”

Elena answered:

“Yes.”

“Then why preserve originals?”

“Because copies prove transactions.”

She paused.

“Originals prove signatures.”

Adrian looked at Thomas Cross’s name on the statements.

Lucia’s father could not claim forgery.

Neither could Adrian’s family.

Lucia whispered:

“Where is Dad?”

Evelyn’s face changed.

“He left.”

Adrian looked toward the hallway.

“What?”

“Ten minutes ago.”

Lucia stared.

“Why?”

Evelyn took out her phone.

A message from Thomas.

DO NOT FOLLOW ME.

Lucia started crying.

Adrian looked at Evelyn.

“Where would he go?”

She shook her head.

“I don’t know.”

Helen did.

“The station.”

Everyone turned.

Helen looked at the gown.

“The night Elena disappeared, we went to North Station.”

Adrian frowned.

“And?”

“Thomas was there.”

Evelyn closed her eyes.

Lucia stared.

“My father?”

Helen nodded.

“He watched Elena board the train.”

Adrian looked at Evelyn.

“You said he helped her hide.”

“I did not say that.”

“You said Elena came to you.”

“Yes.”

“And Thomas knew.”

“Yes.”

“But he was at the station.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Evelyn whispered:

“Because your grandfather sent him.”

Silence.

Adrian’s face hardened.

“He was following my mother.”

“Yes.”

Lucia stepped backward.

“No.”

Evelyn’s eyes filled.

“Your father was supposed to tell them which train Elena took.”

“Did he?”

“Yes.”

Lucia stared.

“And Elena still escaped.”

Evelyn nodded.

“Because Thomas lied about the destination.”

Silence.

Adrian looked at her.

“He protected her.”

“For one night.”

Lucia swallowed.

“And later betrayed her family for money.”

Evelyn closed her eyes.

“Yes.”

That was the truth.

Not villain.

Not hero.

Both.

Adrian’s phone rang.

Unknown number.

He answered.

Thomas Cross.

Adrian put it on speaker.

Thomas’s voice came through.

“You have the keys.”

Adrian looked at Lucia.

“Yes.”

Thomas whispered:

“Do not go to Porto.”

“Why?”

“Because someone is waiting there.”

Elena’s voice sharpened through the other phone.

“Who?”

Thomas went silent.

Then:

“Robert Keller.”

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Adrian’s family attorney.

The man who had arranged two false funerals.