Chapter 6 - MY MOTHER'S FIRST LIE
I called my mother.
Mara told me not to.
Ortiz told me not to.
I called anyway.
She answered on the second ring.
“Hello?”
Her voice was broken.
I couldn’t speak.
“Hello?”
I pressed my fist against my mouth.
This woman believed her daughter was dead.
Whatever secret she carried, I couldn’t torture her another second.
“Mom.”
Silence.
Then a sound I will never forget.
Not a scream.
A gasp from somewhere beneath language.
“Lauren?”
“I’m alive.”
She began sobbing.
I cried too.
For almost a minute, neither of us formed words.
Then she whispered, “Where are you?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because Evan pushed me.”
Silence again.
This one different.
Not disbelief.
Recognition.
My entire body stiffened.
“Mom?”
“Oh, God.”
“You believe me.”
She started breathing too quickly.
“Mom, you believe me.”
“Yes.”
The word nearly stopped my heart.
“Why?”
“Lauren…”
“Why?”
“Because I told your father Evan was dangerous.”
The room became perfectly still.
Mara leaned closer to the phone.
I put it on speaker.
“What did Evan do?”
My mother began crying again.
“Your father found discrepancies.”
“What discrepancies?”
“Proxy agreements. Voting authorizations. Documents Richard said were routine.”
“Were they?”
“No.”
“Then what were they?”
“Your father believed someone was building a path to control the company if something happened to him.”
I felt sick.
“Someone?”
My mother whispered, “Evan.”
Seven years ago.
Before my father died.
Before my inheritance.
Before Evan ever openly cared about my money.
“How?”
“I don’t know everything.”
“You were in Dad’s office with them.”
She stopped breathing for a second.
“You saw the photo.”
“Yes.”
“Where did you get it?”
“Mercer.”
“The pilot?”
“You know him?”
Another silence.
Every answer created three more questions.
“Mom.”
“I met Colin once.”
“When?”
“The week your father died.”
My skin prickled.
“Why?”
“He was flying Richard.”
“Flying him where?”
“Lauren, listen to me. Your father did not die from a heart attack the way Richard told everyone.”
I stared at the phone.
My father died in a hotel room during a business trip.
Officially, sudden cardiac arrest.
I was twenty-eight.
Evan held me while I cried.
Richard arranged the funeral.
My mother had refused an autopsy.
At least, that was what I remembered.
“What are you saying?”
“Your father suspected someone was poisoning him.”
Mara sat down slowly.
I couldn’t move.
“That’s insane.”
“I know.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because he wasn’t sure.”
“He died.”
“I know.”
“And you still said nothing?”
“I was afraid.”
“Of Evan?”
“No.”
Her answer came too fast.
“Then who?”
She didn’t speak.
I looked at Mara.
Mara looked scared.
Not legally concerned.
Scared.
“Mom, who were you afraid of?”
“Richard.”
My stomach dropped.
“He controlled everything after your father died. Bank access. Corporate records. Private investigators. Security.”
“You let him stay our financial adviser.”
“I thought keeping him close was safer.”
“For seven years?”
“I was trying to find proof.”
“Did you?”
A whisper.
“Yes.”
I stood despite the pain in my ribs.
“What proof?”
“Your father left a backup ledger.”
“The black case.”
She gasped.
“You know about it.”
“Mercer took it from the helicopter.”
“No.”
“What?”
“Lauren, the case Mercer took is not the original.”
I stared at Mara.
“What do you mean?”
“Your father created two copies.”
“Where is the other one?”
My mother hesitated.
“I hid it.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere Richard could never access.”
“Mom.”
“I need to tell you in person.”
“No. Tell me now.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
Her voice dropped.
“Because Caleb is standing outside the room.”
My blood went cold.
“Does Caleb know I’m alive?”
“No.”
“Does he know about the ledger?”
“I don’t know.”
Then I heard a door open on her end.
My mother stopped talking.
Caleb’s voice came faintly through the phone.
“Mom?”
She whispered, “I have to go.”
“Don’t hang up.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Mom—”
The connection ended.
I immediately called back.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then Caleb sent Mara a text.
MEETING WITH RICHARD MOVED UP.
Mara typed:
WHEN?
His response came instantly.
NOW.
A second message followed.
And this one made Ortiz reach for his jacket.
RICHARD BROUGHT EVAN.
May you like
Then a third:
I THINK THEY KNOW I’M RECORDING THEM.
