Chapter 5 - THE PHOTO MY MOTHER KEPT HIDDEN
Richard Mercer had died six years earlier.
At least, that was what Troy told everyone.
A heart attack.
A private funeral.
A polished obituary praising his business achievements.
But now Amelia was staring at a photograph connecting him to Sofia Moretti's disappearance.
Detective Bennett studied the image.
“Do you recognize him?”
Amelia nodded.
“Troy's father.”
Gabriel's jaw tightened.
“Richard Mercer.”
Vincent opened another file.
“Richard controlled several shipping warehouses near Lake Street.”
Gabriel looked grim.
“My family did business with him years ago.”
Amelia stared.
“What kind of business?”
Gabriel hesitated.
“Some legitimate. Some not.”
She appreciated the honesty, even though the answer frightened her.
Detective Bennett continued examining the records.
“There's something unusual about Richard's death certificate.”
Amelia looked up.
“What?”
“The person who certified his death had his medical license revoked two years later for falsifying documents.”
Gabriel's expression hardened.
“Could Richard still be alive?”
“It's possible. We need evidence.”
Amelia looked toward the sleeping children.
Her life had already fallen apart.
Now she was learning that the family she'd married into might have been hiding crimes for decades.
Then she remembered something.
“My mother left a box.”
Gabriel turned.
“What box?”
“A wooden keepsake box. I put it in storage after she died.”
“Where?”
“In our apartment.”
The room went silent.
Troy's apartment.
The place she'd fled.
The place he was almost certainly watching.
Detective Bennett arranged for officers to help retrieve Amelia's belongings through an appropriate legal process.
Two days later, the box was recovered.
It contained photographs.
Letters.
An old church bulletin.
And a small cassette recorder.
Amelia recognized the recorder immediately.
Her mother used to record messages for children who couldn't read.
She'd played bedtime stories for Nolan and Caleb when they were little.
Now Amelia pressed the button.
Static filled the room.
Then Eleanor Carter's voice emerged.
“My darling Amelia, if you're listening to this, I couldn't tell you everything while I was alive.”
Amelia began crying.
Her mother's voice.
After four years.
Eleanor continued.
“I helped Sofia Moretti escape a dangerous situation. But the people responsible were powerful.”
A pause.
Then:
“Richard Mercer wanted to silence her.”
Gabriel closed his eyes.
The recording continued.
“I hid something that could expose his entire operation.”
Amelia swallowed.
Then Eleanor whispered:
“I trusted a young lawyer to protect the evidence.”
Detective Bennett leaned forward.
“What lawyer?”
The recording crackled.
May you like
Then Eleanor said:
“His name was Troy Mercer.”
