Chapter 13 - Margaret Vance’s Empty Grave
The cemetery director protested.
Samuel produced a court order.
At six forty the next morning, Margaret Vance’s grave was opened.
Elena stood beneath a black umbrella beside Julian.
Rain fell softly.
It reminded her of Victor’s funeral.
Only five days had passed.
It felt like another lifetime.
Julian watched workers lift the coffin.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Me neither.”
The coffin lid opened.
Margaret Vance was inside.
For one second Elena felt ridiculous relief.
At least one grave contained the person everyone believed it did.
Samuel examined the interior.
Nothing.
Agent Sloan checked beneath the lining.
Nothing.
Julian looked at Elena.
“Serena lied.”
Elena stared at Margaret’s hands.
A pearl bracelet rested around one wrist.
Same style as Elena’s earrings.
Then she remembered Victor’s phrase.
Do not trust the first version of anything.
“Lift the coffin.”
The cemetery director frowned.
“What?”
“Lift it completely.”
Workers raised it.
A metal box was embedded beneath the burial platform.
Samuel exhaled.
“Victor.”
The box opened with the brass safe key.
Inside sat a hard drive wrapped in plastic.
And a letter.
This one was addressed:
TO BOTH MY CHILDREN.
Julian stared.
“He called both of us his children.”
Elena handed him the letter.
“You read it.”
His hands shook.
“Elena.”
“Read.”
Julian unfolded it.
Ellie and Jules,
If you are standing over Margaret’s grave together, then perhaps I have finally done one thing correctly.
Julian stopped.
Elena looked away.
He continued.
I failed both of you in different ways.
I protected Elena from truths she deserved to know.
I protected Julian from consequences he needed to face.
In both cases, I called it love.
It was fear.
Julian’s voice broke slightly.
Northstar survived because people like me believed silence was safer than truth.
Margaret participated in Elena’s substitution.
She regretted it for the rest of her life but never found the courage to confess.
Do not make the same choice.
The hard drive contains a partial register.
Not all names.
Not all sites.
But enough.
Give it to Samuel.
Trust Rebecca Sloan.
Be cautious with Marcus Hale until he answers one question.
Elena looked sharply at Agent Hale.
He was not present.
Sloan read over her shoulder.
“What question?”
Julian continued.
Ask Marcus Hale where he was on October 8, 2002.
Agent Sloan’s face changed.
Julian looked up.
“You know something?”
Sloan shook her head.
“No.”
Samuel took the hard drive.
Julian read the last lines.
Elena, blood did not make you my daughter.
Years did.
Choice did.
Love did, even when I was terrible at showing it.
Julian, you were never the disappointment I called you in anger.
But you became dangerous because too many people kept rescuing you from yourself.
Rescue yourself now.
If Northstar still exists after my death, find Caroline.
Find Claire.
Find Daniel.
And find Margaret’s daughter.
Because I believe she survived.
Julian stopped.
Elena stared at the page.
Margaret’s biological daughter.
Alive.
Somewhere.
Samuel whispered, “That means there’s another Vance heir.”
Elena looked at Margaret’s coffin.
A sister she had never known.
Perhaps raised under another name.
Perhaps inside Northstar.
Agent Sloan took the hard drive.
“We need to leave.”
Elena looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because Victor specifically questioned Marcus.”
“So?”
Sloan’s phone rang.
She checked the display.
Marcus Hale.
Nobody spoke.
She answered on speaker.
“Hale.”
His voice came through.
“Where are you?”
Sloan looked at Elena.
“Why?”
“Elena’s gone.”
Elena stared.
“What?”
Hale continued.
“Northstar grabbed her from the mansion twenty minutes ago.”
Sloan’s face hardened.
“I’m standing beside Elena.”
Silence.
Then Marcus said:
“No, you’re not.”
Julian stepped closer to the phone.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
May you like
Marcus breathed once.
“The woman standing beside you is Claire.”
