Chapter 9 - You Talk Too Much)
The basement confrontation unfolded faster than Margaret expected and slower than she remembered afterward.
Vanessa demanded the documents be signed.
Margaret refused.
Daniel tried twice to leave.
Vanessa threatened him with exposure.
Then the threats turned toward Margaret.
At first they were financial.
Then personal.
"You think people will believe you?"
Margaret remained on the concrete floor.
Vanessa had shoved her after Margaret refused to sign.
The impact hurt, but not seriously.
The smear beside Margaret came from the theatrical packet inside her sleeve.
Vanessa believed it was real.
That mattered.
"Everyone knows you're confused," Vanessa said.
Margaret looked weakly at her.
"You made sure of that."
"I protected you."
"From what?"
"From embarrassing yourself."
Daniel whispered, "Enough."
Vanessa spun toward him.
"You don't get to say enough."
"I said I wouldn't participate if anyone got hurt."
Vanessa laughed.
"You falsified medical billing records."
Daniel looked toward Margaret.
"What medical records?" Margaret asked.
Vanessa's face changed.
Daniel closed his eyes.
Margaret understood another piece.
The fraudulent doctors.
Daniel had arranged them.
"Daniel," she said. "How many doctors?"
He said nothing.
Vanessa stepped on Margaret's arm.
The loose floorboard cracked beneath the impact.
Daniel flinched.
Margaret cried out.
Vanessa leaned down.
"Sign."
Margaret allowed the pen to fall.
Vanessa kicked it toward her.
"Pick it up, you useless old hag."
Daniel whispered, "We're done."
Vanessa grabbed Margaret's chin.
"No, we're done when she signs."
Margaret's eyes moved toward the hidden camera.
Every word was being recorded.
Lena was listening.
Margaret needed more.
"Why does it matter?" she whispered.
Vanessa frowned.
"What?"
"If I'm incompetent tomorrow, you'll get control anyway."
Vanessa smiled.
"Temporary control."
"The documents?"
"Permanent."
Margaret nodded faintly.
"You planned this well."
"Better than you planned anything."
Margaret almost smiled.
Vanessa continued.
"You never understood what Dad understood."
Margaret's pulse accelerated.
"What did your father understand?"
Daniel said sharply, "Vanessa."
She ignored him.
"That loyalty is expensive."
"Is that why he left?"
Vanessa froze.
The basement became silent.
Margaret saw Daniel looking at Vanessa with terror.
Vanessa stood.
"What did you say?"
Margaret whispered, "You heard me."
"He's dead."
"Is he?"
Daniel backed away.
Vanessa looked at him.
"You told her."
"No."
"You told her about Boston."
"I didn't."
Vanessa walked toward Daniel.
Margaret pushed herself higher.
"Your father met you at an airport six weeks after his funeral."
Vanessa turned slowly.
Margaret continued.
"We have the photograph."
The word we struck Vanessa harder than anything else.
She looked around.
Then toward the visible camera she had destroyed.
Then upward.
Margaret saw the realization.
She smiled.
"You talk too much."
Vanessa followed her gaze.
She saw the tiny lens.
Her face went pale.
"No."
The first blows hit the basement door.
Police.
Daniel recoiled.
Vanessa snatched the transfer documents.
Then she moved toward the storage cabinet.
Margaret suddenly remembered the old black phone had been placed there temporarily after the last remote message.
"No," she shouted.
Vanessa opened the cabinet.
She found the phone.
And everything changed.
"Where did you get this?"
Margaret stared at her.
Vanessa was shaking.
Not with anger.
With fear.
"What did your father leave on it?"
Vanessa backed toward the wall.
"You shouldn't have found this."
"What's on it?"
"You have no idea what you've done."
Police struck the door again.
Daniel said, "Give me the phone."
Vanessa clutched it tighter.
"Stay away."
"Vanessa."
"You think they're arresting me? They're going to bury all of us."
Margaret's breath caught.
"Who?"
Vanessa looked at her.
For the first time, Margaret saw her daughter without the arrogance.
She looked young.
Terrified.
"Mother, listen to me."
The basement door splintered.
Vanessa moved closer.
"Whatever happens when that door opens, do not give Ortiz the phone."
Margaret stared.
"You've spent months trying to steal everything from me."
"I know."
"You tried to declare me incompetent."
"I know."
"You just assaulted me."
Tears appeared in Vanessa's eyes.
"I know."
"And you expect me to trust you?"
"No."
Vanessa shook her head.
"I expect you to survive."
The door broke open.
Lena Ortiz entered first with two officers behind her.
Margaret looked beyond them.
A man stood in the hallway.
Gray hair.
Dark coat.
Scar above his left eyebrow.
Richard.
Margaret could not breathe.
Vanessa saw him.
Her expression did not show surprise.
Only resignation.
"You shouldn't be here," she whispered.
Richard looked at his daughter.
"Neither should you."
Lena moved toward Vanessa.
"Put the phone down."
Vanessa laughed.
"You still don't understand."
"Phone. Down."
Richard said quietly, "Vanessa, give it to me."
Margaret found her voice.
"No."
Everyone looked at her.
Margaret pushed herself to her feet.
Her arm hurt.
Her knees shook.
But she stood.
"You don't touch anything."
Richard's face broke.
"Margaret."
"Don't say my name."
"I can explain."
"Seven years."
"I know."
"You watched me bury someone."
Richard's eyes lowered.
Lena said, "Mr. Mercer, step away."
Margaret looked sharply at her.
"You knew."
Lena did not answer.
"You knew he was coming."
"I found him forty minutes ago."
Richard raised his hands.
"I came voluntarily."
Vanessa laughed again.
"No, you didn't."
Richard looked at her.
Vanessa held up the phone.
"You came because this woke up."
Richard's expression hardened.
"Give it to me."
"Why?"
"Because you don't know what's on it."
"I know enough."
Margaret looked between them.
"What is on the phone?"
No one answered.
Then the cracked screen illuminated.
A new message appeared.
All of them could see it.
HELLO RICHARD.
Richard went pale.
Another message.
YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO STAY DEAD.
Lena reached for the phone.
Vanessa stepped back.
Another message.
NOW MARGARET KNOWS.
And then, for the first time, an audio file appeared.
Twelve seconds long.
Richard whispered, "Don't play that."
Margaret looked at him.
"Why?"
He closed his eyes.
Margaret pressed play.
A man's voice filled the basement.
Richard's voice.
Recorded seven years earlier.
"If anything happens to me, Vanessa knows where the Boston ledger is."
Margaret looked at her daughter.
The recording continued.
"And if Margaret ever hears this, tell her I'm sorry. I chose Vanessa."
Silence.
Margaret stared at Richard.
May you like
He had abandoned her.
And Vanessa had known.
