Chapter 7 - Before Sarah Bennett
Sarah had been Sarah Bennett for twelve years.
Before that she had been Sarah Whitmore.
Her father, Thomas Whitmore, had died when she was twenty-three.
Officially, heart attack.
He had been a financial investigator for the state.
Sarah knew little about his work.
He rarely discussed it.
Now Brenda was telling her that everything Mark had done somehow began with him.
"My father died thirteen years ago."
"I know."
"How?"
"My dad knew him."
"Richard?"
"Yes."
Sarah sat on the edge of the bed.
"What did they do?"
"They investigated Victor Hale."
The room seemed to shrink.
Brenda continued.
"Your father found evidence Hale was moving money through residential developments."
"Then why wasn't Hale arrested?"
"He was supposed to be."
"What happened?"
"Your father died."
Sarah closed her eyes.
"No."
"Three months later, the investigation disappeared."
"No."
"Two years after that, Hale's yacht exploded."
Sarah stood.
"Where are you?"
"I can't tell you."
"Brenda, if you have evidence about my father, give it to the police."
"I can't trust them."
"Why?"
"Because Hale had someone inside the original investigation."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Then how do you know any of this?"
"The ledger."
Sarah paced.
"Send it to me."
"I don't have the original."
"What?"
"I copied part of it."
"Where?"
Brenda went quiet.
"Brenda?"
"Mark has something your father left behind."
Sarah stopped moving.
"What?"
"A safe-deposit key."
Sarah remembered Mark's obsession with an old brass key.
He had kept it in his home safe for years.
She had once asked about it.
He told her it belonged to his grandfather.
"How did Mark get it?"
"From my father."
"Why did Richard have it?"
"I don't know."
A sound came through the phone.
A door.
Brenda inhaled sharply.
"I have to go."
"Wait."
"If something happens to me, find box 317."
"Where?"
"Sarah, your father knew."
The call ended.
Sarah immediately called Rebecca.
Then Detective Hayes.
Within an hour, police were tracing the call.
It had originated from a prepaid phone near Albany.
By morning the phone was found in a trash can.
No Brenda.
Sarah told Rebecca about box 317.
"A safe-deposit box?" Rebecca asked.
"Probably."
"Which bank?"
"I don't know."
Daniel searched Thomas Whitmore's financial records.
Most were too old.
Then he found one closed account.
Hudson Commonwealth Bank.
The institution no longer existed.
It had merged.
Twice.
The current bank was Meridian National.
Rebecca made calls.
By late afternoon she had an answer.
Thomas Whitmore had rented a safe-deposit box.
Number 317.
It had never been closed.
Sarah stared at Rebecca.
"Who has been paying for it?"
Rebecca's expression was strange.
"Automatic withdrawal."
"From what account?"
"An account opened in your name."
Sarah whispered, "By Mark?"
"No."
Rebecca slid a document across the table.
The account had been opened fourteen years ago.
One year before Thomas Whitmore died.
Sarah looked at the authorized signatory.
Her father's name appeared first.
May you like
The second name made her stop breathing.
Victor Hale.
