Chapter 6 - Storage Unit 614

The storage facility no longer existed.

A condominium tower stood there now.

But Mr. Lawson had kept the lease records.

That was what lawyers did.

They kept paper after everyone else wanted it gone.

Unit 614 had been rented under a false name.

Michael Arden.

Matteo read the lease.

“Who was Michael Arden?”

Isabella answered:

“Your father.”

“Another lie.”

“Yes.”

Matteo looked at her.

She did not defend it.

The unit had been emptied seventeen years ago.

One year after Isabella vanished.

The removal company still existed.

By two in the morning, Matteo had the old records.

Three crates.

Two filing cabinets.

One steel trunk.

Destination:

St. Agnes Monastery.

Upstate New York.

Rebecca stared at the page.

“A monastery?”

Mr. Lawson nodded.

“Carlo donated there.”

Isabella whispered:

“He used to go there when things became dangerous.”

Matteo looked at her.

“And you never thought to mention this?”

“I thought the unit had been destroyed.”

Anthony laughed softly.

Matteo turned.

“You’re still here because you know something useful.”

Anthony stopped smiling.

Matteo continued.

“Don’t test how temporary that is.”

Victor looked exhausted.

Rebecca had not spoken in several minutes.

Then she asked:

“Do we know if the ledger is in Boston or at the monastery?”

Anthony answered:

“The ledger is in Boston.”

“The money?”

“At the monastery.”

Matteo looked at him.

“You’re sure.”

“Yes.”

“How?”

Anthony looked at Victor.

“Because your brother helped move it.”

Rebecca turned.

Victor closed his eyes.

“Dad.”

Victor whispered:

“Carlo asked me.”

“Why?”

“He was trying to stop Thomas.”

“Stop him from what?”

Victor looked at Matteo.

“Taking control.”

“Of Vaughn Holdings?”

“Of everything.”

Anthony shook his head.

“Tell the whole story.”

Victor glared at him.

Anthony continued.

“Thomas Vaughn wanted Anthony out.”

Rebecca frowned.

“You two were partners.”

Anthony smiled.

“Family businesses are often just wars with stationery.”

Victor said:

“Thomas found out Anthony had diverted money.”

Anthony’s eyes hardened.

Victor continued.

“He planned to expose him.”

“So Carlo stole the twenty-five million?”

Matteo asked.

“No.”

Victor shook his head.

“Thomas did.”

Silence.

Anthony stared at him.

Even he looked surprised.

Victor continued.

“Thomas took it before the shipment.”

“To disappear?”

“Yes.”

“Then why did Carlo have it?”

“Because Thomas asked Carlo to hide it.”

Anthony stepped forward.

“You told me the shipment vanished.”

“It did.”

“You knew where it was.”

“Later.”

“How much later?”

Victor looked at him.

“Three days.”

Anthony laughed.

Then punched the wall.

Matteo’s security moved.

He held up a hand.

Anthony looked at Victor.

“Sixteen years.”

“Eighteen.”

“Eighteen years you knew.”

Victor said:

“You would have killed him.”

Anthony smiled.

“Yes.”

Rebecca whispered:

“Thomas died three years later.”

Victor’s face changed.

“No.”

Everyone noticed.

Matteo said:

“What?”

Victor shook his head.

“Nothing.”

“What?”

Victor looked at Rebecca.

“Thomas did not die in the boating accident.”

Rebecca stared.

Anthony went still.

“Where did he go?”

Victor looked at the floor.

“Europe.”

Anthony laughed in disbelief.

“Another ghost.”

Mr. Lawson asked:

“Was Carlo involved?”

Victor nodded.

“He arranged it.”

Matteo stared.

“My father helped two Vaughns disappear.”

“Yes.”

“Anthony and Thomas.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Victor looked at Isabella.

“Because Carlo believed the family could only survive if everyone thought the dead stayed dead.”

Isabella whispered:

“That sounds like him.”

Matteo looked away.

His father was becoming a stranger one document at a time.

I stood near the window.

No one had asked me to leave.

Maybe because there were no outsiders left.

Only witnesses.

Rebecca sat beside me.

Her red gown looked wrong now.

Too formal.

Too bright.

Like a piece of the gala had followed us into a confession room.

She looked at me.

“You knew none of this.”

“No.”

“You still walked Lawson into the ballroom.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

I looked at Matteo.

“He asked for the truth.”

Rebecca gave a small broken smile.

“Be careful with that.”

Matteo’s phone rang.

One of his men.

He answered.

“Yes.”

Pause.

His face changed.

“Say that again.”

Everyone looked at him.

Matteo ended the call.

“What happened?”

Isabella asked.

He looked at Anthony.

Then Victor.

Then Rebecca.

“Someone broke into the Boston bank two hours ago.”

Anthony frowned.

“The deposit box?”

Matteo nodded.

“Box 6194.”

Rebecca touched the empty clasp of her necklace.

“Did they get the ledger?”

“No.”

“How do you know?”

“Because the box was already empty.”

Silence.

Mr. Lawson frowned.

“Who emptied it?”

Matteo looked at Isabella.

“The bank record says the authorized signer accessed it four days ago.”

Rebecca whispered:

“My mother.”

Matteo nodded.

“Elena Vaughn.”

Victor stood.

“Then she has the ledger.”

Anthony said:

“Or had it.”

Rebecca looked at him.

“What does that mean?”

Anthony’s phone vibrated.

He checked the screen.

His expression changed.

Matteo noticed.

“Show me.”

Anthony hesitated.

Matteo held out his hand.

Anthony gave him the phone.

One photograph.

A woman sitting in the back seat of a car.

Silver hair.

Frightened eyes.

Elena Vaughn.

A handwritten note was held beside her face.

BRING ISABELLA.

COME ALONE.

Matteo looked at the image.

Then at Rebecca.

Rebecca whispered:

“My mother.”

A second message arrived.

NO POLICE.

NO CARLO.

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And beneath it:

THE SON CAN COME.