Chapter 8: What the Bride Hid in Her Safe
Marcus slowly lowered the phone.
Victoria stood in the doorway, her expression almost playful.
"You're awake late.""
"So are you.""
She stepped into the room.
"I couldn't sleep.""
"Neither could I.""
Victoria glanced at the phone.
"Was that the detective?""
Marcus didn't answer.
She smiled.
"Marcus, we're getting married in a few hours. I think it's time we stopped pretending everything is normal.""
He looked at her.
"What would you like to talk about?""
"Your behavior.""
"My behavior?""
"Yes. You've been distant. You've been meeting people behind my back. You've been digging into things that have nothing to do with our future.""
Marcus placed the phone on the desk.
"Are you worried about what I'll find?""
Victoria's smile disappeared.
"Be careful.""
"Why?""
"Because you have no idea what you're dealing with.""
Marcus stood.
"Then explain it to me.""
Victoria approached him.
"You think Elena was perfect. She wasn't.""
"Don't.""
"She was controlling. Suspicious. She believed everyone wanted to take something from her.""
"She was your friend.""
Victoria laughed.
"She was never my friend.""
The words hung between them.
Marcus stared at her.
Victoria realized what she had said.
Then she shrugged.
"She tolerated me because I was useful to Richard.""
Marcus felt his heart pounding.
"Useful how?""
Victoria looked toward the door.
"Forget it.""
"No. Finish what you started.""
She moved closer.
"Do you really want to know what happened three years ago?""
"Yes.""
Victoria smiled coldly.
"Then perhaps you should ask your dead wife why she kept secrets from you.""
She turned and left.
Marcus waited until her footsteps faded.
Then he called Detective Harris.
"She's here.""
"Did she say anything?""
"Enough to confirm Olivia was telling the truth.""
"Stay where you are. We're coming.""
Marcus looked toward the hallway.
"There's a safe in her suite.""
"Don't touch it.""
"Understood.""
At 1:15 a.m., Marcus received a message from Claire.
I found something in Elena's old storage unit. You need to come immediately.
He called her.
"What's happening?""
"I found a second jewelry box.""
"What's inside?""
"An envelope addressed to you.""
"Open it.""
"I already did.""
Claire's voice trembled.
"Marcus, there's a letter from Elena. She explains why Victoria was involved.""
Marcus sat down.
"Tell me.""
"I can't. You need to read it yourself.""
"Claire, I don't have time for this.""
"Then make time. Elena wrote that the truth would only make sense when Maya turned twelve.""
Marcus closed his eyes.
"I found the box in the rose garden.""
Claire went silent.
"You found it?""
"Yes.""
"Then you haven't found everything.""
Marcus frowned.
"What do you mean?""
"The rose garden box contains the key. The storage unit contains the reason.""
"Where are you?""
"At the old apartment.""
Marcus grabbed his jacket.
"I'll be there in twenty minutes.""
The storage unit was located in a quiet neighborhood on the north side of Chicago.
Claire stood outside holding a cardboard box.
She looked exhausted.
"Thank you for coming.""
Marcus hugged her.
"What did you find?""
Claire opened the box.
Inside were Elena's old notebooks, photographs, bank statements, and a sealed envelope.
Marcus picked up the envelope.
His name was written across the front.
He opened it.
Marcus,
I know you love me. I know you would never intentionally hurt Maya. But I need you to understand that the people closest to us can sometimes become the greatest danger.
Victoria didn't enter our lives by accident.
Marcus looked up.
"What does that mean?""
Claire handed him another document.
It was a copy of a business agreement between Hayes Financial Services and Reed Construction.
The agreement was dated eight months before Marcus met Victoria.
"She was already working with my company?""
Claire nodded.
"Elena discovered that Victoria had been communicating with your former partner, Peter Lawson.""
Marcus frowned.
"Peter was dead before Victoria and I met.""
"Yes.""
"How?""
"That's what Elena was investigating.""
Marcus turned another page.
There was a photograph of Peter standing with Victoria and Richard.
On the back, Elena had written:
Peter knows what happened to the money.
Marcus looked at Claire.
"Peter was involved in the theft?""
"Not at first. Elena believed he discovered it and threatened to expose Richard.""
"What happened to him?""
Claire looked down.
"The official report said he died in a boating accident.""
Marcus remembered the funeral.
He remembered Victoria standing beside Richard, crying.
He remembered Richard telling everyone that Peter had been under enormous stress.
Now it all seemed different.
Claire handed him a final document.
It was an old email printed on paper.
The sender was Peter Lawson.
The recipient was Elena.
I have the original recording. Victoria knows about it. If anything happens to me, tell Marcus that the money was never the real objective.
Marcus read the sentence twice.
"What was the real objective?""
Claire pointed to the final line.
They wanted control of Maya.
Marcus looked at her.
"Why?""
Claire shook her head.
"Elena never told me.""
Marcus closed the folder.
Then he noticed a small envelope attached to the back.
Inside was a photograph of Elena holding Maya as a baby.
On the back were six words.
The first person who betrayed us was—
The rest of the sentence had been torn away.
Marcus stared at the damaged paper.
"Who tore this?""
Claire examined it.
"I don't know.""
His phone rang.
Detective Harris.
"Mr. Reed, where are you?""
"With Claire.""
"You need to return to the estate immediately.""
"Why?""
"Victoria has disappeared.""
Marcus stood.
"What?""
"She left the property twenty minutes ago. Her brother is also missing.""
Marcus looked at Claire.
"Did they take anything?""
"Yes," Harris replied.
"The security team says a black SUV left through the service entrance.""
Marcus felt a chill.
"Maya?""
"She's still at the estate with the security officers.""
Marcus grabbed his keys.
"I'm coming.""
When he arrived, Maya was sitting in the kitchen with a female police officer.
She ran toward him.
"Dad!""
Marcus dropped to his knees and hugged her.
"Are you okay?""
She nodded.
"Victoria came into my room.""
His blood ran cold.
"When?""
"Just before midnight.""
"What did she want?""
Maya looked frightened.
"She wanted Mom's ring.""
Marcus pulled back.
"Did you give it to her?""
Maya shook her head.
"She tried to take it.""
Marcus checked her finger.
The ring was still there.
"What happened?""
Maya hesitated.
"I told her Mom said I should never give it to anyone.""
Marcus kissed her forehead.
"You did the right thing.""
Then Maya reached into her pajama pocket.
"I found something.""
She placed a small black key in his palm.
"Where did you get this?""
"Victoria dropped it when she came into my room.""
Marcus turned the key over.
A tiny number was engraved on it.
*317.*
Detective Harris approached.
"Do you recognize it?""
Marcus shook his head.
"Not yet.""
Maya suddenly spoke.
"I do.""
Everyone turned.
She pointed toward the silver ring.
"Mom told me something when she gave it to me.""
Marcus crouched.
"What did she say?""
Maya closed her eyes, trying to remember.
"She said that if I ever found a little black key, I should look for the place where Daddy keeps the things he doesn't want to lose.""
Marcus looked toward the study.
His old safe.
The one he had installed after Elena's death.
He hurried upstairs.
The key fit a small hidden compartment beneath the safe's main lock.
Inside was a folded paper.
It was a bank receipt.
Safe deposit box 317.
The account holder was Peter Lawson.
Marcus looked at Detective Harris.
"Find out which bank.""
The detective checked the document.
"First National Bank. Downtown.""
Marcus looked at Maya.
"Your mother knew.""
Maya nodded.
"She wanted you to find it.""
At 7:30 the next morning, Marcus and Detective Harris arrived at the bank.
The manager led them into a private room.
"Box 317 was opened three years ago," he explained.
"The contents were deposited by Mr. Lawson.""
"Who had access?""
"Mr. Lawson, and one authorized representative.""
"Who?""
The manager examined the file.
Then he looked up.
"Mrs. Victoria Hayes.""
Marcus closed his eyes.
"Is the box still here?""
"Yes.""
The manager brought out a metal container.
Marcus opened it.
Inside was a small digital recorder, several legal documents, and a thick envelope.
He turned on the recorder.
A familiar voice emerged.
Peter Lawson.
"If anyone is hearing this, it means I wasn't able to finish what I started.""
A second voice followed.
Elena.
"Peter, we need to tell Marcus.""
Peter replied.
"Not yet. If we tell him now, Richard will know we've discovered everything.""
Marcus leaned closer.
Then another voice entered the recording.
Jonathan Pierce.
"You're both making a mistake.""
Marcus froze.
The recording continued.
Jonathan said, "Marcus has already signed the documents. Once Victoria marries him, the trust becomes accessible.""
Elena answered.
"He never signed them.""
Jonathan laughed.
"Then we'll make sure he does.""
Marcus felt sick.
Then Peter spoke again.
"Jonathan, what happens to Maya?""
Silence.
Then Jonathan answered.
"She won't be a problem.""
The recording ended.
Marcus stared at the device.
Detective Harris looked at him.
"That is enough to bring Jonathan in.""
Marcus shook his head.
"There's more.""
He opened the thick envelope.
Inside was a document titled:
*ORIGINAL BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP AGREEMENT.*
He read the first paragraph.
Then he looked at the detective.
"Victoria isn't the beneficiary.""
"Who is?""
Marcus pointed to the name.
It wasn't Richard.
It wasn't Jonathan.
It wasn't Victoria.
It was a name Marcus had not seen in three years.
*Peter Lawson.*
At 8:05 a.m., Marcus received a call from an unknown number.
He answered.
A man's voice spoke.
"Good morning, Marcus.""
Marcus went completely still.
"Who is this?""
The man chuckled.
"Someone who knows what really happened to Elena.""
"Identify yourself.""
The man ignored him.
"Victoria isn't the person you should be worried about.""
Marcus gripped the phone.
"Where is my wife?""
A pause.
Then the man answered.
"She's dead, Marcus. But the person who ordered it is still alive.""
"Who?""
The man lowered his voice.
"Your father.""
The call ended.
Marcus stared at the phone.
His father had died when Marcus was seventeen.
He looked at Detective Harris.
"Get me every document connected to Peter Lawson.""
Then his phone buzzed again.
A message from Maya.
Dad, I found another letter from Mom.
It included a photograph of a handwritten page.
The first sentence read:
Marcus, there is one truth I never wanted you to discover about your family.
And beneath it was a name.
May you like
*Evelyn Reed.*
Marcus's mother.
