Chapter 6 - WHAT MY MOTHER HAD BEEN HIDING
I drove faster than I should have.
Laura sat beside me.
Neither of us spoke.
My mother's betrayal had stopped feeling like one terrible decision.
It had become a pattern.
A series of choices.
Each one made in the name of protecting me.
Each one destroying something instead.
When we reached the storage facility, Camilla was standing beside the entrance.
Alone.
I jumped out.
“Where are they?”
She pointed toward the office.
“Inside.”
I looked through the glass.
My mother sat across from Richard.
Neither of them moved.
Laura whispered, “Don't rush in.”
I ignored her.
I opened the door.
Everyone looked at me.
My mother stood.
“Lucas.”
I looked at Richard.
“You.”
He was older than I remembered.
Gray hair.
A heavy face.
But the eyes were the same.
Cold.
Calculating.
“What do you want?”
Richard sighed.
“I wanted you to stay away from this.”
“You took my daughter.”
“No.”
Camilla stepped forward.
“You know where she is.”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Richard looked at my mother.
Then back at me.
“She is safe.”
“Where?”
“I won't tell you.”
I stepped toward him.
“Then we're going to have a problem.”
My mother spoke.
“Lucas, listen.”
“No.”
I pointed at her.
“You've had five years to talk.”
Her eyes filled.
“Richard helped me after Patrick died.”
I looked at him.
“He knew about Emilia.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because your father asked me to protect her.”
I stared.
“My father?”
Richard nodded.
“Patrick discovered that someone was using your family name to move money.”
“What money?”
“Your mother's.”
Mom looked down.
I felt sick.
“What did you do?”
Mom began crying.
“I borrowed money.”
“How much?”
“Enough.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“Eighty thousand dollars.”
Laura inhaled sharply.
My mother continued.
“I was afraid Patrick would find out.”
Richard spoke.
“He did.”
“And he threatened you?”
“No.”
My mother shook her head.
“He offered to help me repay it.”
I looked at her.
“Then why did you keep hiding everything?”
She looked at Camilla.
“Because I believed Lucas would choose Camilla.”
I stared.
“What?”
“You were miserable before the divorce.”
“I loved her.”
“I know.”
“And you thought separating us would make me happy?”
“No.”
She wiped her tears.
“I thought if you started over, you could become someone different.”
I shook my head.
“You didn't give me a new life.”
“You stole my old one.”
Silence.
Then Richard spoke.
“Your mother wasn't the person who took Emilia.”
Everyone turned.
“Then who was?”
He reached into his coat.
He pulled out a folded photograph.
He handed it to me.
It showed a man standing beside a car.
The same man from my father's photograph.
But this time, there was someone beside him.
Brenda.
I didn't know her.
Camilla did.
Her face went white.
“My sister.”
I looked at her.
“What?”
“My sister's husband.”
Richard nodded.
“He was the one moving money.”
Camilla covered her mouth.
“He used Emilia's identity.”
“How?”
“False insurance claims.”
I stared at the photograph.
“He needed a child with a legitimate family record.”
My stomach turned.
“So Emilia's identity was valuable.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because your father had discovered the fraud.”
I looked at my mother.
“And you knew?”
She shook her head.
“Not everything.”
Richard corrected her.
“She knew enough.”
Mom began crying.
“I didn't know Emilia was in danger.”
Richard looked at her.
“You knew her location was being watched.”
Mom whispered, “I was told she would be left alone.”
Camilla stepped forward.
“By whom?”
Richard answered.
“Your brother-in-law.”
She looked devastated.
“Where is Emilia?”
Richard finally looked at me.
“She was taken to a family friend's house.”
“Where?”
“Fort Lauderdale.”
“Take me there.”
He shook his head.
“You need to understand something first.”
“What?”
“Your daughter was never the real target.”
I frowned.
“Then who was?”
Richard looked at my mother.
“Lucas.”
My mother closed her eyes.
“You were.”
I felt the room go silent.
Richard continued.
“Your father left evidence that could expose the entire financial scheme.”
“What evidence?”
“A ledger.”
I thought of the old leather folder.
“Where is it?”
Richard smiled sadly.
“Your father never trusted computers.”
He reached into his pocket.
Then placed a small brass key on the table.
I recognized it.
It belonged to my father's watch box.
“Where does that open?”
Richard looked at me.
“Your old house.”
My heart stopped.
“The house in Coral Gables?”
“Yes.”
My mother whispered:
“Patrick hid the ledger there.”
I stared at her.
“And you knew?”
“I suspected.”
Richard stood.
“Now you understand why they wanted you away from Miami.”
I looked at Camilla.
Then at my mother.
Then at the key.
“We're going home.”
Richard shook his head.
“No.”
May you like
“Why?”
“Because someone is already there.”
