Chapter 10 - THREE PIECES OF THE TRUTH
Marcus cut one wire.
Nothing happened.
The timer continued.
00:21.
Alexander’s voice shook.
“Marcus.”
“Quiet.”
00:16.
Samuel closed his eyes.
“Go.”
Marcus cut a second wire.
The timer stopped.
00:11.
Nobody moved.
Then Samuel laughed weakly.
Marcus exhaled.
Alexander sat on the basement floor.
“That was not funny.”
Samuel looked at him.
“At my age, you take what you can get.”
Marcus removed the device.
Alexander pointed at him.
“You.”
Marcus looked up.
“Me what?”
“He said you had the third key.”
Marcus turned to Samuel.
“You knew my mother.”
“Yes.”
“What did she give me?”
Samuel stared at him.
“A coin.”
Marcus stopped.
Alexander frowned.
“A coin?”
Marcus reached beneath his shirt.
A silver coin hung from a chain.
“My mother gave me this the week she died.”
Samuel nodded slowly.
“That’s it.”
Marcus held it up.
“It’s just an old dollar.”
“No.”
Samuel reached for it.
His hands trembled.
“Daniel designed a physical encryption system.”
Alexander leaned closer.
“Physical?”
“Three objects. Three embedded codes.”
“What object does Mom have?”
Samuel looked at him.
“A recipe box.”
Alexander almost laughed.
“My mother’s wooden recipe box?”
Samuel nodded.
“False bottom.”
“And Richard?”
“A watch.”
Alexander knew the watch.
Gold face.
Black leather band.
Richard wore it every day.
Samuel continued.
“Each piece has part of an access phrase.”
“For what?”
Samuel’s face turned serious.
“A vault.”
“Money?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“The evidence.”
Alexander stood.
“Where?”
Samuel looked toward Marcus.
“Zurich.”
Marcus swore.
Samuel nodded.
“Daniel placed the records with a private legal trust. The vault can only be opened with the phrase.”
“And Richard knows?”
“He knows about the vault.”
“Why hasn’t he opened it?”
“He doesn’t have all three pieces.”
Alexander looked at Marcus.
“He’s been searching for yours.”
Marcus touched the coin.
“My mother died because of this.”
Samuel looked away.
“Yes.”
Marcus’s jaw clenched.
“Did Richard order it?”
Samuel’s silence was enough.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Say it.”
“Richard gave the order.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
Alexander put a hand on his shoulder.
Marcus pulled away.
“No.”
“Marcus.”
“No.”
His voice cracked.
“For thirty years, I wondered if she died because of me. Because I left a heater on. Because I forgot something.”
Samuel’s eyes filled.
“She died because she saved Evelyn.”
Marcus looked at him.
“And my father?”
Samuel shook his head.
“Gone before that.”
Marcus turned away.
Alexander asked,
“Why did Jonah leave you alive?”
Samuel’s expression changed.
“He wanted us to talk.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It does if Jonah isn’t working for Richard.”
Marcus turned.
“What?”
Samuel nodded.
“He questioned me about Richard.”
“Then who does he work for?”
“I don’t know.”
Suddenly headlights swept across the basement window.
Marcus killed the light.
“Down.”
Vehicle doors slammed outside.
Alexander moved behind the concrete wall.
“How many?”
Marcus listened.
“At least four.”
Samuel whispered,
“They found you.”
Marcus raised his pistol.
“No.”
He looked toward the stairs.
“We found them.”
A voice came from upstairs.
“Marcus!”
Marcus froze.
He knew the voice.
Jonah Vale.
“I don’t want to kill you.”
Marcus shouted back,
“You shot at me today.”
Jonah answered,
“I missed on purpose.”
Marcus looked at Alexander.
Then Jonah yelled,
“Ask Samuel who paid me to scare Victoria.”
Samuel went pale.
Alexander stared at him.
“Samuel?”
May you like
The old man whispered,
“I did.”
