Chapter 7 - The Woman Daphne Buried Seven Years Ago

Daphne ran to the chapel.

Sebastian followed.

Evelyn Bell stood beneath the memorial windows.

Fifty-eight.

Blonde hair gone mostly silver.

Dark coat.

Alive.

Daphne stopped.

Her entire face collapsed.

"Mom."

Evelyn began crying.

"Daphne."

Daphne crossed the room.

Then stopped before reaching her.

Seven years.

A funeral.

A grave.

A lie.

"You let me bury you."

Evelyn whispered:

"Yes."

Daphne slapped her.

The sound filled the chapel.

Evelyn did not move.

Daphne cried.

"I'm sorry."

Evelyn nodded.

"You should be."

Sebastian watched.

Then asked:

"Where is my father?"

Evelyn looked at him.

"Under the house."

Marcus frowned.

"Tunnel?"

Evelyn nodded.

"Old service tunnels."

Sebastian knew them.

Prohibition-era construction.

Sealed decades ago.

At least officially.

Evelyn continued:

"Anthony reopened them."

"When?"

"Years ago."

Sebastian stared.

"He has been entering my house."

"Yes."

"How often?"

"I don't know."

Daphne looked sick.

Evelyn continued:

"He built the first voice model from old archive recordings."

Nicholas said:

"Then upgraded it."

"Yes."

Sebastian asked:

"Why did you help Nicholas?"

"Because he found me."

"When?"

"Fourteen months ago."

"Did you tell him Anthony was alive?"

"Immediately."

Sebastian looked at Nicholas.

"You knew fourteen months."

Nicholas nodded.

"Yes."

"And didn't tell me."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I thought you were already compromised."

Sebastian laughed bitterly.

"Everyone keeps protecting me by lying."

Nicholas looked down.

"I know."

Evelyn stepped closer.

"Anthony had access to your communications."

"Your office."

"Your security."

"Your doctor."

"Your board."

"If Nicholas contacted you directly, Anthony would know."

Sebastian stared.

"So instead you built another fake voice."

Nicholas said:

"To track which orders people obeyed."

Tessa looked at him.

"And used me."

Nicholas nodded.

"Yes."

She stared.

"I am not a test."

Silence.

That landed harder than Sebastian expected.

Nicholas said:

"You're right."

Tessa continued:

"I was locked in a room because powerful people wanted information."

"No one asked me."

"No one warned me."

"You used fear because it was convenient."

Nicholas lowered his head.

"Yes."

Sebastian looked at Tessa.

Then at his brother.

"You will answer for that."

Nicholas nodded.

"I will."

Evelyn went to the memorial wall.

Removed one brass plaque.

Behind it:

A keyhole.

Nicholas inserted his key.

The wall opened.

Inside:

Shelves.

Tapes.

Hard drives.

Files.

Years of Anthony Vale's recordings.

Daphne whispered:

"Oh my God."

Evelyn said:

"Your father recorded judges."

"Police."

"Politicians."

"Business partners."

"Family."

Sebastian stared at one label.

SEBASTIAN - AGE 17.

Another.

NICHOLAS - AGE 14.

Another.

EVELYN.

Another.

CHARLES.

Daphne picked up one.

DAPHNE - AGE 19.

Her hands shook.

"He recorded me too."

Evelyn nodded.

"Everyone near the family."

Sebastian looked at Charles.

"You knew about this?"

"Some."

"How much?"

"Enough to be afraid."

"Not enough to tell me."

Charles lowered his eyes.

Evelyn opened a file drawer.

Inside:

Board documents.

The incapacity plan.

Signed by Anthony.

Pierce.

Dr. Wynn.

And one more name.

Daphne stared.

"Evelyn Bell."

Her mother's signature.

Silence.

Daphne looked at her.

"You signed it."

Evelyn closed her eyes.

"Yes."

Sebastian's expression hardened.

"You were part of it."

"At first."

Nicholas laughed bitterly.

"There's the phrase."

Evelyn accepted it.

"I believed removing Sebastian temporarily would let us expose Anthony without triggering the trust."

Sebastian stared.

"You planned to sedate me for my own good."

Evelyn whispered:

"Yes."

Daphne stepped away from her mother.

"You are just like them."

Evelyn flinched.

Daphne continued:

"You disappeared to escape control."

"Then came back and decided everyone else needed yours."

No one spoke.

Sebastian looked at the archive.

"Where is Anthony now?"

Evelyn pointed down.

"Tunnel entrance behind the wine cellar."

Marcus's radio came alive.

"Movement below."

Then another voice.

"Found the entrance."

A third.

"He's running toward the river exit."

Sebastian turned.

Nicholas moved too.

Marcus said:

"Stay here."

Sebastian looked at him.

"No."

Then Tessa spoke.

"Let security do it."

Everyone turned.

She looked at Sebastian.

"You don't have to chase every man who lies to you."

Silence.

Sebastian stared at her.

Then stopped.

Marcus nodded.

Security went.

Three minutes later, the radio crackled.

"We have him."

Sebastian closed his eyes.

His father.

Alive.

Captured beneath his own house.

Then another message came.

"Boss."

"What?"

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"He has a drive."

"Label says FINAL AUTHORIZATION."