Chapter 9 - THE FAMILY BETRAYAL
We reached the farmhouse.
The front door was open.
The living room was destroyed.
Furniture overturned.
Glass everywhere.
“Dad!”
No answer.
Then I heard movement upstairs.
I ran.
My father was sitting on the floor.
Alive.
Bleeding from his forehead.
Vincent was beside him.
I dropped to my knees.
“Dad!”
He grabbed my hand.
“I'm okay.”
I looked at Vincent.
“What happened?”
“Arthur came looking for the records.”
“Where is he?”
“Gone.”
Then Dad looked toward Lorraine.
His expression hardened.
“You brought her?”
I nodded.
“She helped me.”
Lorraine stepped forward.
“I owe you the truth.”
Dad stared.
She began crying.
“Marissa gave Arthur access to the house.”
Silence.
My sister-in-law.
The woman who had watched my father scrub my floor.
The woman who had mocked him.
She had been working with Blackridge.
I couldn't breathe.
“Where is she?”
Lorraine shook her head.
“She left with Arthur.”
My phone buzzed.
A video message.
Marissa appeared on screen.
She was sitting inside a car.
Behind her was Arthur Bell.
He looked old.
Calm.
Almost gentle.
“Hello, Elise.”
My hands shook.
“You've caused us a great deal of trouble.”
Arthur smiled.
“Your mother made the same mistake.”
“Where is she?”
“Alive.”
My heart stopped.
“Bring me the records.”
“What records?”
“The original Blackridge ledger.”
I looked at my father.
He closed his eyes.
Arthur continued.
“You have until sunrise.”
“Or what?”
He smiled.
“Your sister-in-law will disappear.”
The video ended.
Lorraine whispered:
“Marissa.”
My father suddenly stood.
“There's another way.”
He walked toward the old fireplace.
He removed a brick.
Behind it was a small metal box.
Inside was a notebook.
Black leather.
My father handed it to me.
“This is what they want.”
I opened it.
Names.
Dates.
Payments.
Politicians.
Judges.
Executives.
Everything.
And then I saw the final page.
My mother's handwriting.
If Elise ever finds this, tell her I never stopped loving her.
I started crying.
Then beneath the message was an address.
A small coastal town in Maine.
My mother's current location.
May you like
She was alive.
And she had been waiting for me.
