Chapter 12 - Katherine Mercer)
Katherine refused to speak to federal agents until Daniel arrived.
She had been found unconscious beside a highway outside Portland.
Two broken ribs.
A concussion.
A knife wound beneath her shoulder.
She had apparently escaped whoever took her from the Rockport cottage.
When Daniel entered the hospital room, Katherine stared at him for a long time.
“You look like Charles.”
Daniel closed the door.
“I’ve heard that too many times lately.”
Katherine almost smiled.
“Thomas used to hate when people said it.”
“Where is he?”
Her expression disappeared.
Daniel sat.
“Colby says he’s alive.”
Katherine looked toward the window.
“Colby says whatever keeps Colby breathing.”
“That wasn’t an answer.”
“No.”
“Is Thomas alive?”
Katherine closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Daniel’s entire body went still.
For eleven years he had lived with the guilt that he failed his brother.
Thomas had spiraled after Rachel’s death.
Or appeared to.
Daniel had missed calls.
Ignored messages.
Told himself Thomas needed consequences.
Then Thomas died.
Except he hadn’t.
“Where?”
“I don’t know anymore.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because the last time I saw him was six years ago.”
Daniel stared.
“That’s before Rachel died.”
Katherine nodded.
“Rachel became our contact afterward.”
Daniel’s anger sharpened.
“My wife knew my brother was alive.”
“Yes.”
“And said nothing.”
“She was protecting Caleb.”
“From me?”
“From Haven.”
Daniel stood.
“I am so tired of that word being used to justify everyone lying to me.”
Katherine’s eyes hardened.
“You should be tired of your family creating the thing we had to lie about.”
Silence.
Daniel sat again.
“Tell me everything.”
Katherine looked down at her hands.
She and Thomas met in college.
Charles Mercer hated the relationship because Katherine’s father, investigative journalist Henry Vale, had begun investigating secret Mercer Foundation payments.
Charles threatened Henry’s career.
Then Katherine’s family.
Eventually Katherine left Thomas without explaining why.
She later discovered she was pregnant.
Caleb was born in secret.
Years passed.
Thomas eventually learned about him.
By then Haven had grown.
Charles warned Thomas that if he acknowledged Caleb, the boy would become leverage.
Thomas ignored him.
Then Caleb was hit by a car at age twelve.
The driver vanished.
Thomas understood the message.
He began paying Haven.
After Charles died, Thomas found internal records proving Colby and others had been ordering “resolutions” without Mercer authorization.
He wanted to expose them.
Rachel helped.
“So where is Thomas now?” Daniel asked.
Katherine’s voice softened.
“He took the master ledger and disappeared.”
“Why didn’t he go public?”
“Because Haven took Caleb.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
“For seventeen days.”
Katherine stared at the wall.
“They sent Thomas photographs every morning.”
Daniel felt sick.
“He surrendered part of the archive.”
“Part?”
“He gave them enough to get Caleb back. Then he disappeared with the original ledger.”
“And Caleb?”
“Alive.”
“Where?”
“I won’t tell you.”
Daniel nearly shouted.
“Katherine.”
She met his eyes.
“You have Emma. Tell me what you would reveal if you thought one wrong word could put her in a grave.”
That stopped him.
He sat back.
“Fair.”
Katherine looked surprised.
Daniel continued.
“Why did you go to Mercer House before the wedding?”
“To find Rachel’s backup.”
“You gave Emma the postcard.”
“Yes.”
“Why involve a child?”
“I didn’t want to. But I couldn’t approach you.”
“Why not?”
“Because Vanessa was always near you.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“You knew who she was.”
“Yes.”
“And you did nothing.”
“I watched.”
“You watched her infiltrate my family.”
“I also watched her change.”
Daniel looked up.
Katherine continued.
“Vanessa was assigned to recover Rachel’s archive. But somewhere along the way she stopped reporting everything.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Haven ordered her removed six months ago.”
Daniel frowned.
“Removed?”
“Killed.”
He stared.
“She survived because Colby delayed it.”
“Why?”
“Vanessa knew too much.”
Daniel thought of Colby abducting her.
Katherine continued.
“She began protecting Emma.”
“By locking her in a wall?”
Katherine winced.
“I didn’t say she became good. I said she changed.”
Daniel looked away.
“Who killed Rachel?”
“Pike caused the crash.”
“On whose order?”
Katherine went silent.
“Who?”
She looked toward the door.
Then back at him.
“I don’t know for certain.”
“You know something.”
“Yes.”
“Tell me.”
Katherine took a slow breath.
“Rachel called me from the car that night.”
Daniel felt his pulse rise.
“She said Thomas had finally identified Haven’s current controller.”
“Who?”
“She never said the name.”
“Why not?”
“She said she was going to tell you in person.”
Daniel’s grief returned like a blade.
She had been coming to him.
Finally.
After all the secrets.
She had been coming home.
“What did she tell you?”
“One thing.”
“What?”
Katherine’s eyes met his.
“She said, ‘Daniel will never believe me because he loves this person.’”
Daniel stopped breathing.
A knock sounded.
Naomi entered.
“We have a problem.”
Daniel stood.
“What?”
“Judge Colby is dead.”
The room went silent.
“How?”
“Cardiac arrest in federal custody.”
Katherine laughed bitterly.
“That wasn’t cardiac arrest.”
Naomi’s face confirmed she agreed.
Katherine looked at Daniel.
“Haven just proved it can kill someone inside federal custody.”
Daniel thought of Emma.
He reached for his phone.
Then Katherine said, “There’s something else.”
Daniel turned.
She pointed at his father’s letter.
“The missing piece.”
“You cut it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Charles guessed the wrong person.”
Daniel stared.
“Then who did he name?”
Katherine whispered:
“Eleanor Pierce.”
Daniel’s face emptied.
Rachel’s mother.
May you like
Emma’s grandmother.
The woman currently sitting beside Emma.
