Chapter 7 - THE MAN WHO RAN MY EMPIRE
Vincent Marlow had served my organization for fifteen years.
He managed legitimate property investments.
Supervised charitable accounts.
Negotiated contracts.
And knew enough about my criminal operations to destroy my reputation if he chose.
I trusted him more than almost anyone.
Now Lily was showing me photographs suggesting he'd controlled our family for decades.
I stared at the image.
"Why would Mom hide from Vincent?"
Lily took a slow breath.
Then signed:
Because he knew who really killed Dad.
The room went silent.
Our father's death had always been recorded as a stroke.
A sudden collapse during a private dinner.
He was fifty-seven.
Violent.
Controlling.
And feared by most people who knew him.
I hadn't mourned him.
But I had never suspected murder.
"What happened?"
Lily looked down.
Dad discovered Vincent was stealing from Saint Agnes.
I swallowed.
"Then?"
He threatened to expose him.
I stared.
Our father had been involved in crimes far worse than financial misconduct.
Yet apparently even he had drawn a line somewhere.
Lily continued.
Vincent was taking money meant for children.
Using fake medical invoices.
Inventing patients.
Moving donations into private companies.
The same scheme described in her letter.
"How did you discover it?"
I helped process scholarship applications. Families kept saying their children never received payments.
She looked toward Emma.
Emma helped me understand how many students were affected.
Emma nodded sadly.
I translated financial letters for some families.
I turned toward her.
"You knew about the fund?"
Some of it, she answered. I didn't know Vincent controlled it.
Lily continued.
When I found the records, Vincent threatened me.
"Did you tell Mom?"
Yes.
"Then what?"
Mom helped me copy the evidence.
A cold sensation moved through my chest.
My mother had never stopped trying to protect her children.
She had simply been forced to do it from a distance.
Then Lily signed something I hadn't expected.
Vincent arranged the warehouse fire because he thought the records were inside.
I closed my eyes.
"How did you survive?"
Mom warned me. I tried to leave, but someone attacked me before the fire.
My hands tightened.
"Who?"
Lily shook her head.
I didn't see his face.
She looked down.
I woke up in the hospital. Vincent told me you were dead.
For a moment, I couldn't breathe.
He told Lily I was dead.
He told me Lily was dead.
He had separated us with two lies.
Then Lily handed me another photograph.
It showed Vincent beside Paul Greco and Sal Russo.
The three men from the restaurant.
But a fourth man stood behind them.
A tall stranger with gray hair and a distinctive gold ring.
I recognized him.
Commissioner Harold Voss.
The police official who had overseen Lily's fire investigation.
Then Lily signed:
Vincent didn't plan everything alone.
I looked at the photograph.
She pointed toward the commissioner.
May you like
And added:
He's the one who ordered Mom taken away.
