Chapter 9 - The Morel Name Went on Trial Before Lucian Did
Kessler was arrested.
Rebecca Vane surrendered three days later.
She confessed to impersonating Elena.
To entering the clinic.
To delivering the poison.
To falsifying payment records.
Thomas Vane resigned from every intelligence advisory position he still held.
Patrick Doyle testified.
Marc Morel did too.
That surprised everyone.
Lucian least of all.
Marc sat across from federal investigators.
“No immunity.”
His lawyer objected.
Marc ignored him.
“I did things my brother would have hated.”
He looked at Lucian.
“And things he would have recognized because he did some of them first.”
Lucian said nothing.
Marc continued.
“I want the record clean.”
The lawyer whispered:
“You could go to prison.”
Marc nodded.
“Yes.”
He looked at Lucian.
“That is what happens when truth arrives late.”
Lucian almost smiled.
The Morel Continuity Fund was frozen pending transfer.
Lucian’s thirty-fifth birthday was twenty-one days away.
Kessler’s lawyers tried to block it.
Failed.
The government tried to seize everything.
Lucian’s father’s legal structure prevented that.
The fund had two purposes.
Compensation.
And conversion.
Illegal companies would be dissolved.
Legal companies separated.
Victims compensated.
Employees protected.
Hidden accounts disclosed.
Marc stared at the plan.
“Your father thought of everything.”
Lucian shook his head.
“No.”
“He missed me.”
Marc looked at him.
Lucian continued.
“He missed Elena.”
“He missed Thomas.”
“He missed fear.”
Patrick nodded.
“Everyone does.”
Elena did not stay at the estate.
She moved into a hotel.
Lucian did not stop her.
For twelve days.
They did not speak.
Then Nora found him in the kitchen.
Three in the morning.
Coffee.
No security.
No lawyers.
She placed an envelope beside him.
Lucian looked at it.
“What is this?”
“Elena left it with me.”
He stared.
“Why you?”
Nora shrugged.
“Apparently I am trustworthy because I did not break the first cassette.”
Lucian almost smiled.
He opened the envelope.
One page.
No excuses.
No explanation.
Just a list.
TEN THINGS I SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU.
1. I found your father’s file ten months ago.
2. I met him once.
3. I knew he was dying.
4. I knew he wanted to contact you.
5. I chose not to tell you.
6. I knew my father helped stage his death.
7. I knew there was another safe house.
8. I knew about the brass locker token.
9. I heard the second cassette.
10. I loved you through all of it and still chose fear over trust.
At the bottom.
I will not ask you to marry someone who did that.
Lucian read it twice.
Nora waited.
He looked at her.
“Did you read this?”
“No.”
“You wanted to.”
“Yes.”
He almost laughed.
Nora poured coffee.
Lucian asked:
“Do you think people can rebuild trust?”
Nora looked at him.
“That sounds above maid salary.”
“You are not a maid anymore.”
She frowned.
“What?”
Lucian slid a folder toward her.
HOUSE OPERATIONS DIRECTOR.
Nora stared.
“Why?”
“You protected evidence.”
“I carried a cassette.”
“You ignored Elena when she told you to destroy it.”
Nora smiled.
“That was mostly because Patrick looked old enough to haunt me.”
Lucian laughed.
A real laugh.
First one in days.
Nora looked at him.
“That sounded healthy.”
He stared at Elena’s letter.
Then his phone rang.
Patrick.
Lucian answered.
“What?”
Patrick said:
“We found the original surveillance archive.”
Lucian stood.
“Where?”
“Kessler’s private storage.”
“And?”
Patrick went silent.
Lucian’s face changed.
“What?”
“There is video from the night your father disappeared.”
Lucian gripped the phone.
Patrick continued.
“Lucian.”
“Yes.”
“Your mother is in it.”
Silence.
Lucian froze.
His mother had died when he was six.
At least officially.
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