Gerald Mason did not look like a man capable of frightening anyone.<\/p>\n
He was seventy if he was a day, narrow through the shoulders, wearing tan trousers and a faded red baseball cap with the logo of a hardware store that had closed years earlier.<\/p>\n
Yet Colin Mercer stopped smiling.<\/p>\n
\u201cGerald.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cColin.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou shouldn't be here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald tucked the red ledger beneath one arm. \u201cYou say that every time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mercer's companion shifted his jacket.<\/p>\n
Gerald noticed.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo does your friend intend to shoot an old accountant in broad daylight?\u201d<\/p>\n
The man's hand stopped.<\/p>\n
Gerald looked toward a security camera mounted above the storage row.<\/p>\n
\u201cInteresting career choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mercer glanced up.<\/p>\n
His expression changed.<\/p>\n
He took one step backward.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis isn't finished.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Gerald said. \u201cIt isn't.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mercer looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cForty-seven hours.\u201d<\/p>\n
He returned to the SUV.<\/p>\n
The second man followed.<\/p>\n
They drove away.<\/p>\n
For several seconds nobody moved.<\/p>\n
Then Lucas exhaled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI officially love this old guy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou must be Lucas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas blinked. \u201cHow do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have your grandfather's mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marisol came forward. \u201cYou know us?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know of you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel looked at the red book.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should probably explain everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald nodded. \u201cI should have done that years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
We left the storage facility and drove separately to Gerald's office.<\/p>\n
His accounting practice occupied the second floor of a brick building above a bakery.<\/p>\n
Nothing about it suggested hidden fortunes or criminal networks.<\/p>\n
Inside, file cabinets lined the walls.<\/p>\n
Gerald locked the door behind us.<\/p>\n
Robert remained near the entrance.<\/p>\n
Gerald looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou look terrible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert gave a short laugh. \u201cGood to see you too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were warned.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBy everybody, apparently.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald removed his cap.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour father-in-law warned you. Your mother-in-law warned you. I warned you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked between them.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou two know each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert sat.<\/p>\n
I remained standing.<\/p>\n
\u201cOpen the book.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour father would want you to understand context.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father is dead.\u201d<\/p>\n
The words came out sharper than I intended.<\/p>\n
Gerald accepted them.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mother is dead.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd everyone who claims they wanted to protect me has spent years deciding what I'm allowed to know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald placed the red ledger on his desk.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen we should stop doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n
He opened it.<\/p>\n
Every page contained handwritten figures.<\/p>\n
Dates.<\/p>\n
Account numbers.<\/p>\n
Property addresses.<\/p>\n
Initials.<\/p>\n
Some entries had been circled in red ink.<\/p>\n
Daniel leaned over.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are transactions.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhose?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour grandmother's.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at Gerald.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew about the money.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI helped create the structures.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much did she actually have?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the highest point, a little over seven million.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marisol sat slowly.<\/p>\n
Lucas whispered, \u201cGrandma had seven million dollars?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald smiled faintly. \u201cYour grandmother didn't believe wealth required advertising.\u201d<\/p>\n
That sounded exactly like her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere did it come from?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cLand.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat land?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour grandparents purchased several parcels when this city was expanding. Cheap acreage. Industrial lots. Two apartment buildings.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father never told me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour father disliked talking about money.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is apparently a family disease.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald's expression softened.<\/p>\n
\u201cFair.\u201d<\/p>\n
He turned several pages.<\/p>\n
\u201cVictor Hale became involved after one property sale produced a large amount of capital. Your mother wanted diversification. Victor was recommended by a bank executive.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he stole from her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEventually.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe could prove just under nine hundred thousand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert spoke from the corner.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat's not the full number.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much?\u201d Daniel asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cPossibly three million.\u201d<\/p>\n
Silence.<\/p>\n
I touched one of the circled entries.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd my father discovered it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe noticed that property valuations didn't match recorded loan amounts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald pointed to several entries.<\/p>\n
\u201cVictor was moving money through shell companies.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCompanies in my name?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLater.\u201d<\/p>\n
My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald looked toward Robert.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Victor needed someone to blame.\u201d<\/p>\n
I followed his gaze.<\/p>\n
\u201cRobert?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was the first choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert stared at the floor.<\/p>\n
Gerald continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour father distrusted Robert. Victor noticed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat seems convenient.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did Victor do?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe began engineering transactions that appeared connected to Robert.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel leaned forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cUsing forged authorizations?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSome. Others used legitimate signatures obtained for unrelated reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert spoke quietly. \u201cHe had me sign documents.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow many?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald gave him a tired look. \u201cToo many.\u201d<\/p>\n
I turned to Robert.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did you think you were signing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cInvestment agreements.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith my mother?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe said she wanted me involved.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt something old and bitter shift inside me.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid she?\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert looked at Gerald.<\/p>\n
Gerald shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert closed his eyes.<\/p>\n
I stared at Gerald. \u201cSo Victor manipulated Robert.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Dad realized it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEventually.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened then?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald turned another page.<\/p>\n
A date appeared.<\/p>\n
Nine days before my father's death.<\/p>\n
Beside it was one sentence.<\/p>\n
V.H. KNOWS PETER HAS COPIES.<\/p>\n
Peter.<\/p>\n
My father.<\/p>\n
My throat tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald removed his glasses.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour father copied everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere are the copies?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat key should answer that.\u201d<\/p>\n
I took the brass key from my pocket.<\/p>\n
\u201c317.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnion Trust Bank.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel frowned. \u201cThey closed five years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe safe deposit holdings transferred to another institution.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhich?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald wrote an address.<\/p>\n
I stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew where the key went.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why leave it in storage?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause the box isn't mine.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCould Victor access it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRobert?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMe?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour father placed it in your name.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked toward Robert.<\/p>\n
His face had tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat's inside?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald answered carefully.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour father's evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEvidence of theft?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd more.\u201d<\/p>\n
My skin prickled.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does \u2018more\u2019 mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald closed the ledger.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour father's death.\u201d<\/p>\n
The office became silent.<\/p>\n
I heard the faint hum of the ventilation system.<\/p>\n
A truck outside.<\/p>\n
Someone laughing on the sidewalk below.<\/p>\n
Ordinary sounds continuing while my life divided into before and after.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father died in a car accident.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was the official conclusion.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cElena.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert stood.<\/p>\n
I turned toward him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew.\u201d<\/p>\n
His face crumpled slightly.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot then.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow long after?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour mother's funeral.\u201d<\/p>\n
I could barely breathe.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have known for four years?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI suspected.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew enough to destroy our marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cElena\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
I stepped away from him.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon't.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald raised a hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cRobert didn't know everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe knew more than I did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo did you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald accepted the accusation.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel moved beside me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat evidence suggests Grandpa's accident wasn't accidental?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald opened the ledger again.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were withdrawals from an account associated with Victor two days before Peter died.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat proves nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCorrect.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything else?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour father received threats.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDocumented?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn box 317.\u201d<\/p>\n
I closed my eyes.<\/p>\n
My father had received threats.<\/p>\n
And nobody told me.<\/p>\n
Gerald continued carefully.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe mechanic who examined Peter's vehicle after the crash reported that a brake line appeared recently damaged.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel's face changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cReported to whom?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe insurance company.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPolice?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe mechanic disappeared before he could give a formal statement.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucas stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cDisappeared?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMoved, supposedly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSupposedly?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one could find him afterward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marisol moved closer to me.<\/p>\n
I looked at Gerald.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid Mom know?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter the accident.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd she still kept Victor around?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor a time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause she was trying to find proof.\u201d<\/p>\n
I laughed once, helplessly.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy seventy-year-old mother was investigating a man she thought might have killed her husband?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald's eyes filled.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour mother was considerably tougher than people assumed.\u201d<\/p>\n
That too sounded like her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe discovered Victor was shifting his plan.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cToward me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald pointed to several companies.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese were created using your identity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDocuments copied from your mother's estate planning files. Tax information. Signatures.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel examined the entries.<\/p>\n
\u201cIdentity fraud on a massive scale.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat was the objective?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo make it appear that you received the missing money.\u201d<\/p>\n
My stomach turned.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo if everything collapsed\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou would look responsible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert finished quietly.<\/p>\n
I turned toward him.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd where did you fit?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was supposed to look like your partner.\u201d<\/p>\n
I understood.<\/p>\n
The affair.<\/p>\n
The divorce.<\/p>\n
The distance.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou left so there would be a public reason for us to be separate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour mother thought if Victor believed I hated you, he'd stop treating us as a team.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid he?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cVanessa.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert's face tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cReal relationship?\u201d<\/p>\n
He took a long time to answer.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt first, no.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marisol stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cVanessa worked for Victor.\u201d<\/p>\n
The room erupted.<\/p>\n
Lucas swore.<\/p>\n
Daniel demanded clarification.<\/p>\n
Marisol laughed in disbelief.<\/p>\n
I simply stared at Robert.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was planted?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you knew?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot initially.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen did you learn?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFour months after I left.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you continue seeing her?\u201d<\/p>\n
His eyes dropped.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
That hurt in a way the larger betrayals hadn't.<\/p>\n
Perhaps because it was smaller.<\/p>\n
Human.<\/p>\n
Understandable.<\/p>\n
Therefore unforgivable in a different way.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo even after discovering she was using you, you stayed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was trying to learn what she knew.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd sleeping with her helped the investigation?\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert flinched.<\/p>\n
Gerald closed his eyes.<\/p>\n
Marisol turned away.<\/p>\n
I felt strangely calm.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don't get to transform every betrayal into sacrifice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon't.\u201d<\/p>\n
He stopped.<\/p>\n
Daniel returned his attention to Gerald.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Victor wanted Mom blamed, why is he now trying to seize the house?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald looked at the key.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Peter hid something in box 317 that Victor has spent six years trying to recover.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert looked skeptical. \u201cYou expect us to believe that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou had the ledger.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI had one ledger.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald tapped the cover.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeter kept the most dangerous evidence separate.\u201d<\/p>\n
My phone buzzed on the desk.<\/p>\n
Unknown number.<\/p>\n
A new message.<\/p>\n
A photograph.<\/p>\n
The image showed the front of Gerald's building.<\/p>\n
Taken from across the street.<\/p>\n
Underneath:<\/p>\n
THE OLD MAN SHOULD HAVE STAYED RETIRED.<\/p>\n
Gerald read it.<\/p>\n
His face showed no surprise.<\/p>\n
I looked at the windows.<\/p>\n
\u201cVictor knows we're here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen we go to the bank.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot today.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause they're expecting you to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel understood.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we walk into that bank while they're watching, they'll know exactly where the box is.\u201d<\/p>\n
I held the brass key.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen how do we reach it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald looked at Robert.<\/p>\n
For the first time, something almost like sympathy crossed his face.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe give Victor what he has wanted for years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA reason to believe Robert has betrayed you again.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at Gerald.<\/p>\n
He continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe let Victor think Robert stole the key.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert laughed once.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou want me to become bait.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Gerald said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou already are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald Mason did not look like a man capable of frightening anyone. He was seventy if he was a day, narrow through the shoulders, wearing tan trousers and a faded … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12153,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insightdrama"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12160","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12160"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12160\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12184,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12160\/revisions\/12184"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12153"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12160"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}