Chapter 8 - THE NAME AT THE TOP OF THE LIST
The investigation lasted weeks.
Bank accounts were frozen.
Corporate records were subpoenaed.
Marcus was charged with fraud, forgery, conspiracy, and financial crimes.
Tessa cooperated at first.
Then she disappeared.
For three days, no one could find her.
Until my phone received a photograph.
Tessa was standing inside a warehouse.
Behind her was a man.
The photograph was blurry.
But I recognized him.
Marcus's father.
The man everyone believed had been dead for four years.
I stared at the screen.
Evelyn whispered:
“That's impossible.”
The message contained only one sentence.
COME ALONE IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY YOUR MOTHER DIED.
I refused to go alone.
But I went.
The warehouse was empty when we arrived.
Except for Tessa.
She looked exhausted.
“Where is he?” I asked.
“He left.”
“Why?”
“Because he got what he wanted.”
“What?”
She looked at me.
“Your mother.”
I froze.
Tessa began crying.
“She didn't die in that accident.”
My hands went cold.
“What are you saying?”
“She was poisoned.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Tessa continued.
“Your mother discovered the laundering scheme. She was going to expose everyone.”
“Who?”
Tessa looked at me.
“Marcus's father.”
“And you?”
“I helped them.”
The admission destroyed whatever remained of our family.
“Why?”
“Because I was promised money.”
I stared at her.
“You helped murder my mother for money?”
“I didn't know they were going to kill her!”
“You knew enough.”
Tessa sobbed.
“I was twenty-three. I was stupid.”
“You were cruel.”
She lowered her head.
Then she handed me a flash drive.
“This proves everything.”
I took it.
“What about Marcus?”
“He knew.”
My stomach twisted.
“From the beginning?”
“Yes.”
Tessa looked at me.
“He didn't marry you for the money.”
I almost laughed.
“Then why?”
“Because your mother had hidden something inside you.”
I stared at her.
“What?”
“Information.”
I remembered my mother's strange lessons.
The paintings.
The symbols.
The stories.
She hadn't merely taught me to draw.
She had taught me how to decode her records.
I had been carrying the key all my life without knowing it.
Tessa whispered:
“Your mother trusted you because she knew no one would suspect a child.”
Then footsteps echoed behind us.
Marcus's father appeared.
He was holding a gun.
Evelyn stepped in front of me.
He smiled.
“You look exactly like your mother.”
I stared at him.
“You killed her.”
He shrugged.
“She made the mistake of believing truth mattered more than power.”
I looked at the flash drive in my hand.
He smiled.
“Give it to me.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
His expression hardened.
Then police sirens erupted outside.
He turned toward the doors.
May you like
I smiled.
“You should have asked who was recording.”
