Chapter 10 - The Father Adrian Never Thought to Fear)
Thomas did not ask for money.
He asked Adrian to come home.
Not the villa.
The old Mercer estate where Adrian and Rebecca had grown up.
Detective Hayes wanted tactical officers.
Thomas sent another message.
IF I SEE POLICE, I LEAVE WITH LILY.
Adrian wanted to tear the world apart.
Instead, he forced himself to think.
Thomas loved Lily.
Or appeared to.
That mattered.
If Vanessa was telling the truth, Thomas had hidden crimes for years.
But kidnapping his granddaughter did not necessarily mean he intended to hurt her.
It might mean desperation.
Hayes placed a tracker inside Adrian's jacket and sent units toward the estate without approaching visibly.
Adrian drove alone.
The Mercer estate sat thirty miles north of Richmond.
An old brick house surrounded by oak trees.
Thomas's car was parked outside.
The front door stood open.
Adrian entered.
"Dad?"
"Kitchen."
Thomas sat at the table.
Lily was in a high chair beside him.
She was eating sliced strawberries.
When she saw Adrian, she reached toward him.
"Daddy."
Adrian crossed the room immediately.
Thomas did not stop him.
He lifted Lily.
Checked her.
No visible injury.
She wrapped her arms around him.
Adrian looked at his father.
"You took her without permission."
"I needed you to come."
"You kidnapped my daughter."
"I protected her."
"From who?"
"Daniel."
Adrian almost laughed.
"Everyone says everyone else is dangerous."
Thomas stood.
"Daniel Cross stole millions."
"Martin stole it."
"That's what Daniel wants you to believe."
"Vanessa named you."
Thomas's eyes narrowed.
"You spoke to her."
"Yes."
"Then you're already in more danger than you understand."
Adrian kept Lily against his chest.
"Were you involved with Voss?"
"Financially."
"Did you steal trust money?"
"No."
"Did you know Martin did?"
Thomas did not answer.
That was enough.
Adrian felt something collapse inside him.
"You knew."
"I suspected."
"Claire knew too."
Thomas looked away.
"Claire was reckless."
"She was murdered."
"You don't know that."
"Her wheel was sabotaged."
Thomas froze.
Adrian saw it.
A reaction.
Small.
But real.
"You knew about the bolt."
"No."
"You're lying."
Thomas walked toward the window.
"Your wife became obsessed."
"With criminals stealing from families?"
"With proving something she couldn't prove."
"Did you kill her?"
Thomas turned.
"No."
The answer sounded genuine.
But Adrian no longer trusted instinct.
"Then who did?"
"I don't know."
"Why did Vanessa name you?"
"Because she knows you need someone to blame."
Thomas opened a cabinet.
He removed an old folder.
"Look."
Inside were bank records.
The missing eight million had entered Mercer Medical Holdings.
But three days later, the same amount left.
Transferred to a foundation.
Then another company.
Then another.
"Voss used my company as a pass-through without my knowledge."
"Why didn't you report it?"
Thomas's voice lowered.
"Because when I discovered it, Martin showed me documents making it appear that I authorized the transfer."
"He blackmailed you."
"For fourteen years."
Adrian stared.
"You let him continue."
"I contained him."
"You enabled him."
"I protected this family."
"Claire died."
Thomas flinched.
Adrian stepped closer.
"And you still called that protection?"
Thomas looked toward Lily.
"I made mistakes."
"That's what Vanessa says."
"Don't compare me to her."
"Why? Because your cruelty came with a suit and a lawyer?"
Thomas's face hardened.
Then headlights appeared outside.
Too many.
Police.
Thomas looked at Adrian.
"You brought them."
"They followed me."
"You don't understand what you've done."
"Then explain."
Thomas moved toward a door beside the pantry.
Adrian blocked him.
"You're not leaving."
"I'm not running."
"Then what?"
Thomas pointed toward the basement.
"Claire left something here."
Adrian froze.
"In this house?"
"Two weeks before she died."
"What?"
"I promised not to open it unless Daniel returned."
Daniel had returned.
Police entered.
Thomas surrendered without resistance.
Before Hayes took him for questioning, Thomas looked at Adrian.
"Basement. Behind your mother's piano."
Adrian carried Lily downstairs.
The old piano had been moved to storage after Adrian's mother died.
Behind it was a sealed panel.
Inside sat a red metal case.
Claire's handwriting covered the lid.
IF DANIEL COMES BACK, THE SECOND LIE HAS BEGUN.
Inside was a photograph.
Daniel standing beside Vanessa.
The date was six months after Claire's death.
Months before Adrian and Vanessa became engaged.
May you like
They had known each other.
And both had lied about it.
