Chapter 5 - Richard Claimed He Paid to Keep Sarah Alive

Lorenzo stared at Richard.

“You stole two million to protect my mother.”

Richard nodded.

“That is what happened.”

Hale laughed quietly.

“No.”

Richard looked at him.

“You were not there.”

“I investigated the transfers.”

“You investigated paper.”

Hale stepped closer.

“And paper remembers better than frightened men.”

Richard looked at Lorenzo.

“Your uncle wanted Sarah dead.”

Lorenzo’s face hardened.

“You told me you blocked her letters because he paid you.”

“He did.”

“To keep her away.”

“Yes.”

“And now you say you also protected her.”

“Yes.”

Lorenzo almost smiled.

“You are very talented at being on both sides.”

Richard accepted that.

“I was.”

Isabella whispered:

“Dad, where did the money go?”

Richard looked at her.

“To a man named Carlos Vega.”

Hale froze.

Lorenzo noticed.

“You know him.”

Hale nodded.

“Former private security.”

Richard continued.

“I paid him to move Sarah out of the country.”

“Spain.”

“Yes.”

Daniel frowned.

“Why use my identity?”

Richard looked ashamed.

“Because your father’s second family was already hidden.”

Daniel’s face hardened.

“So I was convenient.”

“Yes.”

“Did my father know?”

“No.”

Lorenzo looked at Hale.

“Can we verify this Carlos?”

Hale nodded.

“If he is still alive.”

Richard said:

“He is.”

Silence.

“Where?”

“Same town as Sarah.”

Lorenzo stared.

“My mother lives near the man you paid to hide her.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because he became her friend.”

Peter shook his head.

“This family has too many people staying close to the evidence.”

Richard ignored him.

Lorenzo asked:

“Why did you keep blocking letters after she was safe?”

Richard’s face changed.

“Because your father asked me.”

Silence.

Isabella looked at him.

“What?”

Richard continued.

“Lorenzo’s father believed contact would lead his brother to Sarah.”

Lorenzo’s voice dropped.

“For seven years.”

“Yes.”

“And after my father died?”

“Your uncle took over.”

“So you kept obeying.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Richard looked at Isabella.

“To protect her.”

She froze.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Lorenzo stared.

“What did my uncle threaten?”

Richard swallowed.

“He knew I had moved the two million.”

“So?”

“He said he would make Isabella responsible.”

Isabella looked confused.

“How?”

“The account paperwork used your mother’s old company seal.”

Isabella went pale.

Richard continued.

“If the case reopened, he said he would say I acted for the Crane family.”

Lorenzo looked at her.

“So Richard chose his daughter over my mother.”

Richard whispered:

“Yes.”

Isabella started crying.

Lorenzo did not look away.

“At least that answer is honest.”

Richard nodded.

Hale asked:

“Why come here tonight?”

Richard looked at the cassette.

“Because your uncle called me.”

Lorenzo’s eyes narrowed.

“What did he want?”

“The tape.”

“You told him Hale had it?”

“No.”

“Then?”

“He thinks Peter has another copy.”

Peter stared.

“I don’t.”

Richard looked at him.

“He doesn’t know that.”

Lorenzo asked:

“Where is my uncle?”

Richard hesitated.

Then:

“Going to Sarah.”

Silence.

Lorenzo moved immediately.

Daniel grabbed his coat.

Peter said:

“Call her.”

Lorenzo did.

No answer.

Again.

Nothing.

Daniel called.

Nothing.

Richard whispered:

“He may already be there.”

We reached Sarah’s house in thirty-seven minutes.

The porch light was broken.

Front door open.

Lorenzo entered first.

“Mom?”

He stopped.

The word came out before he could control it.

Nobody mentioned it.

The living room was empty.

The metal box was gone.

One chair overturned.

On the table:

One envelope.

Lorenzo’s name.

Fresh ink.

He opened it.

SON,

IF YOUR UNCLE COMES BEFORE YOU DO, I AM GOING WITH HIM.

DO NOT FOLLOW UNTIL YOU READ LETTER NUMBER NINETEEN.

Lorenzo stared.

Peter whispered:

“Why nineteen?”

Daniel looked at the bundle.

He found it.

Letter nineteen.

Lorenzo opened it.

Sarah had written it eleven years earlier.

IF I EVER LEAVE WITH YOUR UNCLE WILLINGLY, IT WILL MEAN HE HAS OFFERED TO TAKE ME TO YOUR FATHER’S SECOND LEDGER.

Lorenzo stopped.

Daniel frowned.

“Second ledger?”

Hale had followed us.

He stood in the doorway.

His face changed.

“There were two.”

Lorenzo looked at him.

“What is in the second?”

Hale answered:

“The names no one ever put on tape.”

Silence.

Richard whispered:

“Your uncle kept it.”

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Lorenzo looked at the empty doorway.

“And my mother just went to get it.”