Chapter 5 - THE GRAVE
They met at three in the morning.
Sebastian brought a flashlight.
Daniel brought a gun.
Neither man trusted the other.
Henry Stellan’s grave sat beneath an old oak tree at the far end of the private family cemetery.
Sebastian stared at Daniel.
“My father died two years ago.”
“Natural causes?”
“Heart attack.”
Daniel gave him a look.
Sebastian’s jaw hardened.
“Don’t.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t need to.”
They reached the grave.
Sebastian swept the flashlight across the marble.
Nothing.
Then Daniel noticed a small brass plate mounted behind the headstone.
A keyhole.
Sebastian’s face changed.
“I’ve never seen that.”
“Try the key.”
The key Claire left fit.
A hidden compartment clicked open.
Inside was a plastic tube.
Sebastian pulled it out.
Inside the tube were documents sealed from moisture.
And a flash drive.
Sebastian opened the first page.
Stellan Industries.
Bellweather Renovation Project.
He scanned the signatures.
Victor Stellan.
Henry Stellan.
Claire Stellan.
Sebastian’s father.
His uncle.
His sister.
“What is this?”
Daniel took the report.
His face tightened.
“This is a fire inspection.”
Sebastian looked at him.
“You were an investigator.”
“Yes.”
“Did you sign this?”
“No.”
Daniel flipped the page.
Then stopped.
At the bottom was his name.
Daniel Mercer.
His signature.
Except Daniel had never signed it.
“That’s forged.”
Sebastian laughed bitterly.
“Convenient.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Watch yourself.”
“My family’s name is on a report tied to your dead wife.”
“And my name was forged.”
“You expect me to believe—”
Headlights appeared through the trees.
Both men turned.
A vehicle entered the cemetery.
Black SUV.
Sebastian whispered, “That’s the car.”
Daniel pulled his gun.
The SUV accelerated.
“MOVE!”
They jumped behind the headstone as the vehicle slammed through the iron gate.
It headed straight for them.
Daniel fired twice.
The windshield cracked.
The SUV swerved.
It smashed into the oak tree.
Airbags exploded.
Sebastian ran toward it.
“Wait!”
Too late.
He yanked open the driver’s door.
Empty.
Daniel stared.
“How the hell—”
Then he saw it.
A brick had been jammed against the accelerator.
Remote steering equipment was attached beneath the dashboard.
A phone rang inside the SUV.
Sebastian answered.
Victor Stellan’s voice filled the cabin.
“Sebastian.”
Sebastian stopped breathing.
“Uncle Victor?”
“You always were too curious.”
Sebastian’s face went cold.
“Where is Claire?”
Victor sighed.
“I tried to protect this family.”
“WHERE IS MY SISTER?”
“She made the same mistake your father made.”
Sebastian gripped the phone.
“What mistake?”
“Believing Daniel Mercer’s wife.”
The call ended.
Daniel looked at Sebastian.
“What did he say?”
May you like
Sebastian turned slowly.
“My father knew.”
