Chapter 7 — The Man Who Knew Her Name
The phone was still pressed against Arthur's ear.
“Elena.”
His voice was barely above a whisper.
“Where are you?”
For several seconds, there was nothing but static.
Then her breathing returned.
Fast.
Uneven.
Terrified.
“I told you,” Elena whispered. “I'm standing in front of Gerald.”
Arthur looked toward the empty doorway.
Gerald was gone.
“Where is he?”
“I don't know.”
“You just said you're standing in front of him.”
“I was.”
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
“What happened?”
A muffled sound came through the phone.
A door closing.
Then Elena spoke again.
“He left.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
Arthur's patience broke.
“Elena, stop speaking in riddles. Ethan is here. He's alive. Tell me where you are.”
Silence.
Then—
“Arthur…”
Her voice cracked.
“I need you to listen to me very carefully.”
Arthur looked at Ethan.
The boy was still wrapped in Daniel's coat.
Maria was kneeling beside him.
Jonathan stood near the passage entrance, staring at the phone as if he could somehow identify the location through the sound.
Arthur lowered his voice.
“I'm listening.”
“You cannot trust the police.”
Jonathan immediately looked up.
Arthur's expression changed.
“Why?”
“Because Gerald has someone inside the department.”
Jonathan stepped closer.
“How do you know?”
“I saw the file.”
“What file?”
“Elena's voice trembled. “The original investigation into your father's death.”
Arthur stopped breathing.
“My father's death was an accident.”
“No.”
One word.
Quiet.
Certain.
“No, it wasn't.”
Daniel's face hardened.
He already knew.
Arthur looked at him.
“You knew.”
Daniel didn't answer.
“Daniel.”
“I suspected.”
“You suspected my father was murdered?”
“Yes.”
“And you never told me?”
Daniel's eyes filled with something Arthur had never seen before.
Regret.
“I tried.”
Arthur stared at him.
“When?”
“Twenty-two years ago.”
Daniel took a slow breath.
“Before the accident.”
Arthur felt the room tilt beneath him.
“What accident?”
“The one that supposedly killed me.”
Arthur said nothing.
Daniel continued.
“Your father discovered money disappearing from the company. Millions at first. Then tens of millions.”
Jonathan stepped forward.
“Through shell companies?”
Daniel nodded.
“Gerald created them.”
Maria looked at Ethan.
The boy was listening.
Arthur noticed.
“Take Ethan outside.”
Maria nodded.
She stood and gently took Ethan's hand.
“Come with me.”
Ethan refused.
“I want to stay with Dad.”
Arthur crouched.
“Ethan, I need you to trust me.”
“But Mom said—”
He stopped.
Arthur's eyes sharpened.
“What did your mother say?”
Ethan looked down.
“She said the man in the gray coat wasn't the one I should be afraid of.”
Arthur froze.
“Then who?”
Ethan whispered,
“Gerald.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Jonathan exhaled slowly.
Maria's face went pale.
Arthur stood.
“Put Elena back on the phone.”
Jonathan took a step toward him.
“Arthur, we need to think.”
“No.”
Arthur held up the phone.
“My wife is somewhere with a man who may have murdered my father. My son just told me Gerald is the real threat. I'm done thinking.”
He spoke into the phone.
“Elena.”
Her breathing returned.
“I'm here.”
“Where are you?”
A pause.
“Vance Tower.”
Arthur's stomach dropped.
“Why are you there?”
“Because Gerald brought me here.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I don't expect you to believe anything.”
Her voice softened.
“I just need you to come.”
Arthur looked at Daniel.
Daniel immediately shook his head.
“It's a trap.”
“I know.”
“Then don't go.”
Arthur looked at Ethan.
Then at the phone.
“I'm going.”
Daniel grabbed his arm.
“No.”
Arthur pulled away.
“If I don't go, Elena may die.”
Daniel's expression changed.
“You still love her.”
Arthur stared at him.
“She is my wife.”
“That wasn't what I asked.”
Arthur didn't answer.
Because he didn't know.
Twenty-seven minutes later, Arthur's SUV tore through downtown traffic.
Daniel sat beside him.
Jonathan was in the back.
Maria had stayed with Ethan at the old property.
Two security men were positioned outside the house.
Arthur had ordered them not to let anyone inside.
Especially Gerald.
The rain had started again.
Heavy drops struck the windshield.
Daniel watched the city lights blur.
“You shouldn't have gone alone.”
“I didn't.”
“You know what I mean.”
Arthur tightened his hands around the steering wheel.
“Tell me everything.”
Daniel was silent.
“Now.”
Daniel looked out the window.
“Our father didn't die because of Gerald.”
Arthur glanced at him.
“What?”
“He died because he discovered who Gerald was working for.”
Arthur's voice lowered.
“Who?”
Daniel looked directly at him.
“I don't know.”
Arthur frowned.
“You just said—”
“I know Gerald was working for someone. I never learned who.”
Jonathan leaned forward.
“Could it have been your mother's family?”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
“Then who?”
Daniel reached into his coat.
He pulled out an old photograph.
Arthur glanced at it.
The photograph showed Edward Vance standing beside Gerald.
And a third man.
A man Arthur had never seen.
Older.
Silver-haired.
Wearing a dark suit.
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
“Who is that?”
Daniel stared at the photograph.
“That is the man who paid for my silence.”
Arthur looked at him.
“What?”
“He found me after the accident.”
Daniel's voice became quieter.
“He told me if I ever returned home, Arthur would die.”
Arthur's heart hammered.
“Why would anyone care whether you came back?”
Daniel didn't answer.
Jonathan took the photograph.
He examined the man's face.
Then suddenly stopped.
“Wait.”
Arthur looked at him.
“What?”
Jonathan pointed at the man's left hand.
A gold ring.
A black stone.
Engraved with a small symbol.
A crown surrounded by three lines.
Jonathan's face went pale.
“I've seen this before.”
“Where?”
“In Gerald's private files.”
Arthur stared at him.
“What does it mean?”
Jonathan swallowed.
“It's not a family crest.”
“Then what is it?”
Jonathan looked at Daniel.
“A private investment consortium.”
Arthur frowned.
“What kind?”
“The kind that doesn't officially exist.”
The SUV fell silent.
Then Arthur's phone vibrated.
A message.
Unknown number.
TURN AROUND.
Arthur ignored it.
Another message appeared.
YOUR SON IS NOT SAFE.
Arthur immediately called Maria.
No answer.
His stomach tightened.
“Maria?”
Nothing.
He called again.
Still nothing.
Daniel grabbed his phone.
“Call the security team.”
Arthur did.
One of the guards answered.
His voice was breathless.
“Mr. Vance?”
“Where's Maria?”
Silence.
“Answer me.”
“We lost sight of her.”
Arthur's blood ran cold.
“And Ethan?”
“We're looking.”
Arthur slammed his hand against the steering wheel.
“Find my son!”
The guard's voice shook.
“Sir…”
“What?”
“There is someone inside the house.”
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
“We don't know.”
Then the line went dead.
Daniel stared at Arthur.
“Turn around.”
Arthur hit the brakes.
The SUV swung across the wet road.
He accelerated in the opposite direction.
Vance Tower would have to wait.
His son came first.
At the old Vance property, the security lights flickered.
One.
Two.
Then darkness.
Maria stood in the hallway.
She held Ethan's hand.
“Stay behind me.”
Ethan nodded.
“Maria…”
“Yes?”
“I know that man.”
Maria froze.
“What man?”
“The one downstairs.”
Her heart began pounding.
“What does he look like?”
Ethan whispered,
“He wears a gray coat.”
Maria immediately reached for her phone.
No signal.
She looked toward the staircase.
A man's footsteps echoed below.
Slow.
Unhurried.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Ethan squeezed her hand.
Maria whispered,
“Don't move.”
The footsteps stopped.
Then a voice came from downstairs.
“Maria.”
She closed her eyes.
She knew that voice.
A voice she hadn't heard in eight years.
The voice of the man Edward Vance had ordered her never to trust.
“Come downstairs.”
Maria stepped backward.
Ethan whispered,
“Who is he?”
Maria stared at the staircase.
Then she answered quietly,
“Your grandfather's worst mistake.”
The man laughed softly.
“No, Maria.”
His footsteps began again.
“But I'm the reason your grandfather died.”
Maria pulled Ethan toward the hidden passage.
But before she could reach it—
The lights came back on.
And Gerald Whitmore stood at the bottom of the stairs.
He was holding a gun.
“Don't.”
Maria stopped.
Gerald looked directly at Ethan.
“Come here, boy.”
Ethan refused.
Gerald smiled.
“Your father is on his way.”
Maria's eyes narrowed.
“What do you want?”
Gerald lifted the gun slightly.
“The ledger.”
“We don't have it.”
“I know.”
He smiled.
“That's why I'm here.”
Maria's face went cold.
“What do you mean?”
Gerald looked toward the hidden study.
“Because the ledger was never the real evidence.”
He reached into his coat.
Pulled out a small envelope.
And tossed it onto the floor.
Maria stared.
The envelope had Edward Vance's handwriting on it.
Her breath caught.
Gerald smiled.
“Your employer left one final letter.”
Maria slowly bent down.
Then she saw the words written across the front.
FOR MARIA — ONLY OPEN IF ETHAN IS IN DANGER.
Her hands began to tremble.
Gerald's smile disappeared.
“Open it.”
Maria looked at Ethan.
Then at Gerald.
She opened the envelope.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
She read the first line.
And her face turned completely white.
Because Edward's first sentence said:
MARIA, IF YOU ARE READING THIS, THEN ELENA HAS ALREADY BEEN RECRUITED.
Maria stopped breathing.
Ethan looked up at her.
“What's wrong?”
Maria couldn't answer.
Gerald lowered his weapon.
And for the first time that night—
he looked afraid.
Because someone else had just entered the house.
A woman's voice came from behind them.
“Step away from my son.”
Maria slowly turned.
Elena stood in the doorway.
Her clothes were soaked from the rain.
Her face was bruised.
May you like
And in her hand—
she held a gun pointed directly at Gerald.
