Chapter 5 - THE DEAD WIFE’S LETTER
Anna Blackwood had left behind one locked box.
Victor had never opened it.
She had told him once,
“If anything happens to me, you’ll know when you need it.”
At the time, Victor had laughed.
Anna hadn’t.
Now Victor stood inside his private study with the box on his desk.
Marcus remained by the door.
Lily stood several feet away.
“Maybe I shouldn’t be here.”
Victor looked at her.
“You were the only person protecting my son when I wasn’t.”
He unlocked the box.
“You stay.”
Inside were photographs.
Bank statements.
A flash drive.
And a sealed envelope with Victor’s name.
His hands became strangely unsteady.
He opened it.
Victor,
If you’re reading this because I’m dead, don’t trust the story they give you.
Daniel owes the Montigues more money than you know.
Serena isn’t the person you think she is.
And someone inside your family has been moving money through companies registered in my name.
I’m scared.
But I’m more scared for Ethan.
Victor stopped reading.
Lily felt tears sting her eyes.
Anna had known.
Victor continued.
I tried to confront Daniel.
He told me I was imagining things.
The next day, my brakes failed.
They said it was a mechanical problem.
Maybe it was.
But if it happens again, it won’t be an accident.
Please protect our son.
Victor sat down.
For nearly a minute, nobody spoke.
Marcus looked devastated.
“I should’ve known.”
Victor stared at Anna’s handwriting.
“No.”
He folded the letter.
“I should’ve believed my wife when she told me she was scared.”
Lily quietly said,
“You didn’t know what she hadn’t told you.”
Victor looked at her.
“She tried.”
He swallowed.
“I told her Daniel was family.”
He turned away.
“I told her she was paranoid.”
The flash drive contained records Anna had collected.
Daniel had been transferring money.
Serena’s family business had received millions.
And Anna had secretly scheduled a meeting with a federal financial investigator three days before her crash.
She never made it.
Then Marcus noticed something.
“Victor.”
A payment had been made one day before Anna died.
Two hundred thousand dollars.
Recipient:
Everett Crane.
Victor knew the name.
Crane was an automobile mechanic who had worked on Anna’s car.
Detective Reed was contacted.
She searched the old case.
Crane had vanished shortly after the accident.
No forwarding address.
No bank activity.
No taxes.
Nothing.
“He’s either dead,” Reed said, “or someone paid him extremely well to become invisible.”
Victor stared at Daniel’s financial records.
“Find him.”
Reed raised an eyebrow.
“That’s my job.”
“Then do it faster.”
She stepped close.
“Threatening detectives might work in your world.”
“It wasn’t a threat.”
Victor looked through the glass toward Ethan.
“It was a father asking.”
Reed’s expression softened slightly.
That evening, Lily sat beside Ethan.
His arm had been placed in a small cast.
He slept against her.
Victor entered quietly.
“He reaches for you before he reaches for me.”
Lily looked down.
“You’ve been gone a lot.”
Victor nodded.
“I thought money kept him safe.”
He gave a bitter smile.
“I had guards at every door and still left the danger inside the nursery.”
Before Lily could answer, Victor’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Daniel’s voice came through.
“Want the truth about Anna?”
Victor went completely still.
“Where are you?”
“You don’t get to ask questions.”
“I’m going to find you.”
Daniel laughed softly.
“Maybe.”
Then his voice changed.
“But you should ask yourself something first.”
“What?”
May you like
“Why did Anna call Serena seventeen times the week before she died?”
The line disconnected.
