Chapter 6 - Carla’s Confession
Austin did not sleep that night.
Neither did Irene.
They moved to a secure penthouse owned through a company Margaret did not know existed.
At 2:18 a.m., Austin received a text.
Unknown number.
SHE LIED TO BOTH OF US.
COME ALONE.
A location followed.
An abandoned train station outside Stamford.
Austin showed Grant.
“Absolutely not.”
“I’m going.”
“Then I’m going.”
“It says alone.”
“And whoever sent it can be disappointed.”
Irene read the message.
“It’s Carla.”
Austin looked at her.
“How do you know?”
“She used that phrase once.”
“What phrase?”
“She lied to both of us.”
Irene remembered a Christmas dinner three years earlier.
Carla had been drunk.
She had accused Margaret of sabotaging one of her relationships and whispered to Irene, “She lies to both of us because she thinks sons matter and daughters don’t.”
Austin had barely noticed.
Now every forgotten sentence mattered.
At 3:07 a.m., Austin entered the station.
Grant remained outside with Quinn.
Carla stood beneath a broken clock.
No teal evening dress now.
Black jeans.
Gray sweatshirt.
Hair tied back.
She looked younger without makeup.
And terrified.
“You brought police?”
“They’re outside.”
“Damn it.”
“You assaulted my wife.”
Carla looked away.
“I didn’t touch Irene.”
“You helped Mom break into the safe.”
“I know.”
“You told her to shut Irene up.”
“I was panicking.”
Austin laughed sharply.
“That defense needs work.”
Carla’s eyes filled.
“I thought Mom was trying to save us.”
“From what?”
“Dad.”
Austin went still.
Carla looked toward the dark tracks.
“She told me Dad was alive six months ago.”
“How did she know?”
“He contacted her.”
“Why?”
“He said the Harrow succession had started.”
“Because Irene got pregnant.”
Carla nodded.
“Mom didn’t tell me Irene was the heir. She said Irene was blackmailing the family with stolen documents.”
“And you believed that?”
“I believed Mom had spent my whole life cleaning up Dad’s messes.”
Austin said nothing.
Carla swallowed.
“She said the west safe contained a ledger Dad had hidden before his death. She said if we found it, we could prove he committed financial crimes and force him to stay away.”
“You brought a hammer.”
“The lock wouldn’t open.”
“You could’ve called me.”
“Mom said you were compromised.”
“Meaning?”
“That Irene had manipulated you.”
Austin’s jaw tightened.
Carla raised both hands.
“I know how it sounds now.”
“You assaulted a pregnant woman because Mom told you a story.”
“I didn’t know she was going to shove her.”
“But you stayed.”
Carla looked ashamed.
“Yes.”
Austin let the silence punish her.
Finally, he asked, “What does freedom mean?”
Carla stared.
“Quinn asked you what Mom promised if you found the ledger.”
Carla wiped her eyes.
“Freedom from the trust.”
Austin frowned.
“I didn’t know we were in it.”
“We aren’t beneficiaries.”
“What are we?”
“Collateral.”
She took a flash drive from her pocket.
“Dad sent me these.”
Austin did not take it yet.
“What’s on it?”
“Payments.”
“To whom?”
“Judges. Doctors. Financial regulators. Political consultants.”
“From the Harrow companies?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know they’re real?”
“I don’t.”
“Then why trust Dad?”
“I didn’t. That’s why I copied everything before giving the drive to Mom.”
She held it out.
Austin took it.
“Why give it to me now?”
“Because Mom disappeared.”
“You think Dad took her.”
“I know he did.”
“How?”
Carla reached into her pocket again.
A photograph.
Margaret sitting in the rear seat of a car.
Alive.
A newspaper beside her displaying that morning’s date.
On the back:
THE CHILD CHANGES EVERYTHING.
Austin’s face hardened.
“Who sent this?”
“Dad.”
“What does he want?”
“He wants Irene to sign away the succession.”
Austin stared.
“Can she?”
“Crowe says she can disclaim the trust.”
“And then?”
“The Emergency Steward controls it.”
“Dad.”
“Yes.”
Austin finally understood one possible motive.
Charles did not merely want to protect Irene.
He could gain control if she refused the inheritance.
“Why would Mom want the ledger?”
Carla hesitated.
“Because there’s one page that could destroy her.”
“What page?”
“A record from the night Irene’s parents died.”
Austin stepped closer.
“What does it say?”
“I never saw it.”
“Then how do you know?”
“Mom talked in her sleep after Dad contacted her.”
Austin almost laughed.
“She said, ‘I never told them to light the house.’”
The station seemed to become colder.
Carla’s voice broke.
“I think Mom was involved.”
Austin closed his eyes briefly.
“When did you last speak to Crowe?”
“Yesterday morning.”
“Before you came to the mansion?”
“Yes.”
“What did he tell you?”
“That if Irene’s pregnancy was verified before midnight tomorrow, everything changes.”
Austin looked at his watch.
They had less than twenty-one hours.
“Verified by whom?”
“Crowe.”
“And where is he?”
Carla shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
Austin turned.
Carla caught his arm.
“There’s something else.”
He looked back.
“Dad sent me a second file.”
“What file?”
“A list of the H children.”
Austin stared.
“The infant bracelets?”
May you like
Carla nodded.
“Irene wasn’t the only one who survived.”
