Chapter 5 - The Man I Trusted Most
The next morning, we went to Grand Central.
Marcus came despite my objections.
Elena came despite everyone's objections.
Daniel brought enough security to start a small war, but I made them stay outside the bank.
Deposit box 317 contained no money.
No jewelry.
Only an envelope.
Elena opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Her parents.
My brother Benjamin stood beside them.
On the back, three words were written:
TRUST ELENA CRUZ.
Elena stared at the handwriting.
Marcus whispered, “That's my father's.”
There was also an address.
A small house outside Albany.
We drove north.
Elena barely spoke.
When we reached the house, an elderly woman opened the door.
Elena stopped breathing.
The woman covered her mouth.
“Elena?”
Elena whispered, “Mom?”
They stood staring at each other.
Then Elena crossed the porch.
Her mother wrapped both arms around her.
For the first time since I had known Elena, the tough, stubborn woman who had hidden me from assassins simply broke.
“You were alive.”
Her mother held her face.
“I had to disappear.”
“You let me bury you.”
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
“Eight years!”
“I know.”
Elena stepped backward.
“You don't get to say that like it fixes anything.”
“It doesn't.”
I respected the answer.
Inside, Sofia Cruz told us everything.
Benjamin discovered Tony had created a secret network selling information to rival organizations and corrupt officials.
Rafael Cruz had been investigating the same network.
The two men secretly worked together.
When Tony discovered them, he arranged Benjamin's crash.
Then Rafael's.
Sofia survived only because Benjamin had prepared an escape plan.
Marcus sat silently.
“My father wasn't a traitor.”
“No,” Sofia said.
“He died trying to protect his family.”
Marcus lowered his head.
Then Sofia looked at me.
“And he believed you would finish what he started.”
“Where's the ledger?”
She stood.
“Not here.”
“Where?”
Sofia smiled faintly.
“With the person Tony would never search.”
She looked at Elena.
Elena frowned.
“What?”
Sofia approached her.
“When you were eighteen, your father gave you a wooden jewelry box.”
Elena stared.
“My music box?”
“The false bottom.”
Elena went pale.
“That box is in Vincent's house.”
I stood immediately.
Tony hadn't escaped randomly.
He was going back.
We drove to Manhattan.
When we arrived, the estate was quiet.
Too quiet again.
Elena ran upstairs.
“Elena!”
She ignored me.
We reached her small staff bedroom.
The door was open.
The wooden box sat on her dresser.
Empty.
Marcus swore.
Tony had beaten us.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Tony's voice came through.
“Looking for something?”
“Where are you?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“You won't stay that way.”
“Neither will Elena.”
My eyes moved toward her.
Tony continued.
“Midnight. Pier 41. Bring Elena.”
“No.”
“Then everything in that ledger becomes public.”
“Do it.”
Silence.
Tony hadn't expected that.
“You'd destroy your own empire?”
“Yes.”
Marcus looked at me.
Tony said, “You're bluffing.”
“No.”
“Vincent—”
“You made the same mistake Marcus made.”
“What mistake?”
“You thought I cared more about power than people.”
I looked at Elena.
“I don't.”
Tony hung up.
Elena stared at me.
“You'd lose everything?”
“Apparently.”
“Why?”
I stepped closer.
“Because three years ago, you came into my house invisible.”
She swallowed.
“And?”
“Last night you became the only person in it I trusted.”
Neither of us spoke.
Marcus cleared his throat.
“This is touching.”
Elena glared at him.
He raised both hands.
“But Tony still has the ledger.”
I smiled.
“No.”
Marcus frowned.
“What?”
Sofia smiled too.
“The ledger isn't the book.”
Elena understood first.
“The photograph.”
Sofia nodded.
“The ledger is encrypted.”
“Where's the key?”
Sofia looked at Elena.
“Your father's favorite phrase.”
Elena's eyes widened.
Marcus asked, “What phrase?”
Elena smiled.
“Family isn't blood.”
I finished it.
May you like
“Family is who stays.”
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