Chapter 9 - Vivienne Vanishes
Vivienne Whitlock had left her Manhattan apartment at 6:12 a.m.
Her driver believed she was going to a medical appointment.
She dismissed him three blocks away.
After that, nothing.
Her phone was found in a trash bin near Lexington Avenue.
Her passport remained at home.
Her attorney claimed not to know where she was.
Elias believed none of it.
“She planned this,” he said.
Clara stood in his study while Marianne placed documents across the desk.
“Vivienne withdrew forty-eight thousand dollars in cash over six weeks,” Marianne said. “Small amounts, different branches.”
“Preparation,” Elias replied.
Clara looked at the Greyhaven files.
“What is she afraid of?”
“Prison,” Marianne said.
“No.”
Clara shook her head.
“If this were only about prison, she would leave the country.”
Elias looked at his daughter.
“You think she's looking for something.”
“The original ledger.”
Marianne nodded slowly.
“And she may believe Halcyon can lead her to it.”
They examined Isabelle's files again.
Hidden among legal notes was a repeated phrase.
THE HOUSE WHERE THE WATER DOESN'T MOVE.
No address.
No explanation.
Three separate documents contained it.
Elias read the words.
Then suddenly stopped.
Clara noticed.
“Dad?”
He looked toward the garden.
“Your mother and I had a house.”
“You have several houses.”
“No. Before Voss Holdings. Before money.”
He stood.
“A cabin in Connecticut.”
Clara had never heard of it.
“We rented it when you were a baby,” Elias continued. “There was a small lake behind it.”
“Still water?”
“A reservoir.”
Marianne grabbed her coat.
“Who owns the cabin now?”
Elias looked at her.
“I do.”
Clara blinked.
“You kept it?”
“I bought it years later.”
“Why?”
His expression softened.
“Your mother was happy there.”
Two hours later they were driving north.
Rachel accompanied them with two security officers.
When they reached the cabin, darkness had fallen.
Everything appeared undisturbed.
Until Clara saw the door.
The lock had been broken.
Elias moved in front of her.
“Stay outside.”
“No.”
“Clara.”
“You told me the decision has to be mine.”
He hated hearing his own philosophy used against him.
But he nodded.
They entered together.
Drawers had been opened.
Books pulled from shelves.
Floorboards scratched.
Someone had searched the house.
Marianne moved toward the fireplace.
“Recently.”
Clara walked through the small kitchen.
Then into the bedroom.
A faded photograph remained on the wall.
Isabelle holding a baby.
Clara.
Behind them was the reservoir.
Clara touched the frame.
It moved.
A faint click sounded behind the wall.
Everyone froze.
Elias removed the photograph.
A narrow compartment opened.
Inside was a waterproof metal case.
Marianne whispered, “She was unbelievable.”
Clara lifted the case out.
It contained no ledger.
Only a cassette recorder.
And another note.
IF YOU FOUND THIS, GREYHAVEN HAS RETURNED.
THE LEDGER IS SAFE.
BUT THE NAME YOU TRUST MOST MAY NOT BE.
Clara read the sentence twice.
Then looked at Marianne.
Then Rachel.
Then her father.
May you like
The name you trust most.
For the first time, suspicion entered the room with them.
