Chapter 8 - Why Margaret Had to Come Home
Adrian looked at his mother.
“Why you?”
Margaret’s face had gone pale.
Thomas sat down.
“Gabriel cannot touch the trust.”
“So?”
“He does not need the trust.”
“Then what?”
“He needs Margaret to sign one document.”
Margaret stared at him.
“What document?”
Thomas looked at her.
“The release.”
She stopped breathing.
Vincent swore under his breath.
Adrian looked between them.
“What release?”
Margaret answered.
“Twenty years ago, the Moretti family placed several companies under Vale control.”
“Why?”
“To hide them from investigators.”
“And?”
“Victoria created a clause.”
Adrian waited.
Margaret continued.
“The companies could only be returned if I signed.”
“Why you?”
“Because she named me independent trustee.”
Adrian understood.
“So Gabriel wants his companies back.”
Thomas nodded.
“Not just companies.”
“What else?”
“Land.”
“Where?”
“Baltimore waterfront.”
Adrian’s expression changed.
“The eastern terminal.”
“Yes.”
“That property is worth hundreds of millions.”
Thomas nodded.
“And more importantly, it gives access to the only private berth deep enough for certain cargo vessels.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“So Gabriel wants Mother alive.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did she hide?”
Margaret answered.
“Because he wanted me alive and controlled.”
Adrian looked at her.
“You thought he would use me.”
“He already had.”
Silence.
Bianca wiped her face.
“What does this have to do with me?”
Thomas looked at his daughter.
“He needed you to bring Margaret back.”
Bianca stared.
“How?”
“By marrying Adrian.”
Adrian frowned.
Thomas continued.
“Gabriel knew Eleanor still had contact with Margaret.”
Eleanor had joined us at the bank.
Her face changed.
Thomas looked at her.
“He knew that if Adrian became engaged to a Moretti, Eleanor would panic.”
Eleanor whispered:
“And I would bring back the music box.”
“Yes.”
Bianca stepped backward.
“No.”
Thomas nodded sadly.
“The engagement was bait.”
Adrian looked at Bianca.
“Did Gabriel know you loved me?”
Thomas answered.
“He counted on it.”
Bianca looked sick.
“He used me without me knowing.”
“Yes.”
Adrian looked at Thomas.
“And you helped him start it.”
Thomas nodded.
“Yes.”
Margaret stood.
“Then tonight was planned years ago.”
“Not tonight.”
Thomas shook his head.
“The marriage.”
Adrian stared at him.
“What?”
“Gabriel expected Eleanor to reveal Margaret before the wedding.”
“When?”
“Any time after the engagement.”
Bianca whispered:
“So my engagement made Margaret surface.”
“Yes.”
Margaret looked at Adrian.
“I am sorry.”
He shook his head.
“For what?”
“For letting the plan work.”
Adrian’s face softened for the first time.
“You came because of me.”
“Yes.”
“Then that part was not his.”
Margaret’s eyes filled.
Adrian turned toward Thomas.
“Where is Gabriel?”
Thomas looked at the door.
“He gave me one hour.”
“For what?”
“To bring Margaret.”
Vincent moved toward him.
“You agreed?”
Thomas looked at Bianca.
“I told him yes.”
Bianca stared.
“Dad.”
Thomas raised a hand.
“I told him yes because I needed a location.”
Adrian waited.
Thomas took out a folded paper.
An address.
Old ferry warehouse.
Pier 19.
Vincent recognized it.
“That building belonged to Lorenzo Moretti.”
Thomas nodded.
“It still belongs to Gabriel.”
Adrian reached for the paper.
Margaret stopped him.
“He wants me.”
Adrian looked at her.
“He wants all of us afraid.”
“No.”
Her voice became firm.
“He wants my signature.”
Adrian stared.
“You are not going.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No.”
Margaret smiled sadly.
“You sound twelve again.”
“And you sound like someone planning to disappear again.”
That hurt her.
Good.
Adrian wanted it to.
Margaret stepped closer.
“This time you know where I am going.”
“And that makes it better?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Because for twenty years, everyone has made decisions for you.”
She looked at Vincent.
Then Thomas.
Then Bianca.
Then Eleanor.
“Including me.”
Adrian said nothing.
Margaret continued.
“Tonight, I make one decision in front of you.”
“What decision?”
“I end this.”
Adrian looked at the address.
“No police.”
Thomas nodded.
“Gabriel said he will leave if he sees police.”
Adrian smiled without warmth.
“He already assumes we are criminals.”
Vincent looked at him.
“What are you thinking?”
Adrian took out his phone.
“I’m thinking he has spent twenty years using family secrets.”
He looked at Bianca.
“So we stop keeping them.”
He called someone.
“Who?”
Margaret asked.
Adrian answered:
“Federal investigators.”
Vincent went pale.
Thomas did too.
Bianca stared.
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