Chapter 5 - Locker 317
Daniel wanted to drive to the station immediately.
Mara refused.
“If Jenna believed she was in danger, the locker may be watched.”
“So we do nothing?”
“We do it carefully.”
At 1:10 a.m., two plainclothes officers entered Central Station from opposite sides. Mara and Daniel followed separately. Lily stayed at the Mercer house under Owen’s protection, with three uniformed officers outside.
Locker 317 sat near a row of vending machines in the lower concourse.
Daniel’s hand trembled when he inserted the key.
Inside was a canvas tote bag.
No money. No jewelry.
Documents.
A small voice recorder.
A prepaid phone with a dead battery.
And an envelope with Daniel’s name.
He opened the letter first.
Daniel,
If you are reading this, Lily finally trusted someone enough to show the key. I am sorry I left her. Nora threatened to accuse me of hurting Lily and said Gavin would make sure I never worked again. I was scared, and I hate myself for leaving.
Your mother knew money was being taken from Mercer Industrial. She asked me to copy papers before Nora destroyed them. I did.
Nora is not working alone.
Do not confront Gavin until you hear the recorder.
—Jenna
Daniel stared at the last line.
Mara put on gloves and pressed play.
At first there was only muffled movement.
Then Evelyn’s voice.
“I know what you’ve been doing.”
Nora answered, calm and low. “You don’t know anything.”
“I know North Vale Holdings billed this family for work that never happened.”
A man spoke next.
Daniel knew the voice before the first sentence ended.
Gavin.
“Evelyn, you’re confused. Let me handle the books.”
“Don’t patronize me. I built half the systems you use to steal from my son.”
A chair scraped.
Then Nora said, “If Daniel sees those files, everything falls apart.”
Evelyn laughed once. “Then maybe it should.”
The recording crackled.
Gavin’s voice became harder.
“Once Daniel signs the revised trust, none of this matters.”
“What revised trust?” Evelyn demanded.
“The one he thinks protects Lily.”
Daniel stopped breathing.
The tape continued.
Nora said, “And if he doesn’t sign?”
Gavin answered without hesitation.
“Then we use the version Victor already prepared.”
The recording ended.
Daniel looked at Mara. “Victor is my family attorney.”
Before she could answer, the prepaid phone inside the locker suddenly lit up.
The battery was not dead after all.
May you like
A single new text filled the screen.
YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE LOCKER CLOSED.
