Chapter 14 - VIVIAN’S LAST BARGAIN
Peter’s claim changed the investigation.
Emma refused to believe him.
Anna wanted to.
That difference nearly caused their first real argument.
“He’s manipulating us,” Emma said.
“What if he isn’t?”
“He kidnapped our mother.”
“So he might know where she is.”
“He also lies.”
Anna folded her arms.
“So does our father. So does Vivian. So did Margaret. Apparently lying is our family language.”
Emma looked away.
They had known each other less than a week.
Already they could hurt each other with frightening precision.
Caleb quietly left the room.
He understood some battles did not need him.
Anna softened.
“I’m not saying trust him.”
“Then what?”
“I’m saying I spent my whole life believing my mother was dead. You did too.”
Emma nodded.
“If there’s even a chance…”
“I know.”
They went silent.
That afternoon Vivian requested to speak with both sisters.
Morales opposed it.
Emma agreed.
Anna agreed faster.
The interview room had glass between them.
Vivian entered wearing jail clothing.
Without makeup and satin, she looked smaller.
Still dangerous.
Emma and Anna sat side by side.
Vivian stared at Anna first.
“So Margaret failed.”
Anna’s jaw tightened.
“Nice to meet you too.”
Vivian smiled.
“You have her attitude.”
“Our mother’s?”
“No.”
Vivian leaned closer to the glass.
“Mine.”
Anna recoiled.
Emma said, “Don’t.”
Vivian turned toward her.
“There’s my obedient girl.”
Emma almost laughed.
“You drugged your obedient girl.”
“I saved you.”
“You sound like Dad.”
“Your father is weak.”
“That might be the first true thing you’ve said.”
Vivian’s eyes hardened.
“You opened the vault.”
Emma said nothing.
Vivian knew anyway.
Her face changed.
“Did you find the ledger?”
Anna leaned forward.
“Why do you care?”
Vivian ignored her.
“Emma. Did you find it?”
“No.”
For the first time, real fear entered Vivian’s face.
“Then you need to leave.”
Emma stared.
“Why?”
Vivian looked toward the observation mirror.
Then back.
“Because if the ledger is gone, he already knows.”
“Who is he?”
Vivian’s voice dropped.
“Vale.”
“Samuel Vale is dead.”
Vivian smiled bitterly.
“That man was Samuel Vale for twelve years.”
Emma frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“Samuel Vale was never a person.”
Anna remembered the recording.
Samuel Vale was a name.
“A title,” Anna whispered.
Vivian looked at her.
“Smart.”
Emma’s skin went cold.
“So someone else is Vale now.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Vivian leaned back.
“I want immunity.”
Emma laughed.
“You tried to poison me.”
“Sedate.”
“You imprisoned our mother.”
Vivian did not answer.
“You stole my sister.”
“I placed her somewhere safe.”
Anna slammed her palm against the table.
“You stole me.”
Vivian stared at her.
“Your mother was going to destroy everything.”
“Because your company killed children.”
“My company created technology that saved millions.”
“And buried the ones it hurt.”
Vivian’s expression remained cold.
“Progress is never clean.”
Emma felt disgust.
“You really believe that.”
“I believe people enjoy morality when someone else pays for it.”
Emma stood.
“We’re done.”
Vivian rushed toward the glass.
“Your mother is alive.”
Emma stopped.
Anna went still.
Vivian smiled.
There it was.
The bargaining chip.
Emma sat slowly.
“Prove it.”
“I saw her seven months ago.”
“Where?”
“Immunity.”
“No.”
Vivian’s eyes narrowed.
“Then leave.”
Emma stood again.
Vivian shouted.
“She remembers you!”
Emma froze.
Vivian continued.
“She remembers both of you.”
Anna’s eyes filled.
Emma turned.
“What did she say?”
Vivian leaned close to the glass.
“She asked whether you still had the rabbit.”
Emma stopped breathing.
The stuffed rabbit Vivian threw away when Emma was eight.
A detail Peter could not know.
A detail police could not invent.
Emma whispered, “Where is she?”
Vivian smiled.
“Immunity.”
Emma looked at Morales through the glass.
Morales’s face was grim.
No promises.
Emma turned back.
“You don’t understand something.”
Vivian raised an eyebrow.
“You spent sixteen years teaching me how cruel you are.”
Emma stepped closer.
“You think that made me afraid of you.”
Vivian’s smile faded.
“It made me know exactly how to hurt you.”
Vivian stared.
Emma continued.
“You want immunity because you’re scared of prison.”
No response.
“You’re more scared of Vale.”
Vivian’s jaw tightened.
“So I don’t need to bargain.”
Emma smiled faintly.
“I just need to let you believe he knows you talked.”
Vivian’s face drained of color.
Anna slowly smiled too.
Emma turned toward Morales.
“Tell the press Vivian is cooperating.”
Vivian slammed both hands against the glass.
“No!”
Emma walked toward the door.
“Emma!”
She did not turn.
“Emma, don’t do this!”
The desperation in Vivian’s voice was almost satisfying.
Then Vivian screamed one final thing.
“YOUR MOTHER IS IN VIRGINIA!”
Emma stopped.
Morales entered immediately.
“Where?”
Vivian was breathing hard.
“You protect me first.”
Morales said, “Give me something verifiable.”
Vivian looked at Emma.
“Stonehaven.”
Richard, watching from another room, heard the name.
He went white.
Morales noticed.
“What is Stonehaven?”
Richard whispered, “A private estate.”
“Owned by whom?”
Richard shook his head.
“Not a person.”
“Then who?”
“A foundation.”
“What foundation?”
Richard looked at Emma.
“The Laura Carter Foundation.”
Emma stared.
“I don’t have a foundation.”
May you like
Richard’s voice was barely audible.
“Apparently, your mother does.”
