Chapter 3 - Box 417
Atlantic Beacon Trust opened at eight.
Marcus and I arrived at 8:03.
Three black SUVs surrounded us.
“Subtle,” I muttered.
Marcus shrugged.
“We tried subtle last night.”
“Fair point.”
The bank manager nearly fainted when Marcus identified himself.
Then he saw the key.
Box 417 was registered to Sophia Moretti.
But there was a problem.
“Only Mrs. Moretti can access it.”
“She’s dead,” Marcus said.
The manager swallowed.
“I understand.”
“Do you?”
I stepped between them.
“Threatening the banker probably won’t help.”
Marcus stared at me.
“I wasn’t threatening him.”
“You look like you’re threatening furniture when you enter a room.”
The manager nodded involuntarily.
Marcus sighed.
Eventually Daniel’s attorney arrived with court documents authorizing access as Sophia’s surviving spouse.
Inside the vault, we opened Box 417.
There was no money.
No jewelry.
Only a phone.
A flash drive.
And an envelope.
Written across it:
FOR DANIEL.
Marcus called him immediately.
We returned to the mansion.
Daniel was pale but standing.
Barely.
I handed him the envelope.
“Sit down first.”
He stared at me.
“Anna.”
“Sit.”
Victoria whispered to Marcus, “I like her.”
Daniel sat.
He opened the letter.
The room became silent.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then stopped.
“What does it say?” Victoria asked.
Daniel’s jaw clenched.
“She knew.”
“Knew what?”
He handed Marcus the letter.
Sophia had discovered that Thomas Moretti and Detective Harris were stealing from Moretti businesses while simultaneously using corrupt police raids to eliminate competitors.
But money was only part of it.
Sophia had recorded them discussing Daniel’s murder.
“They were going to blame another family,” Marcus said.
Daniel looked toward the nursery upstairs.
“And Sophia found out.”
Victoria covered her mouth.
“So they killed her.”
Daniel said nothing.
That silence was worse than shouting.
I picked up the phone from the safe-deposit box.
“Maybe this has the recording.”
Marcus connected it to an offline computer.
Several audio files appeared.
The first recording contained Harris.
The second contained Thomas.
The third—
Daniel stopped breathing.
Sophia’s voice filled the room.
“Daniel, if you’re hearing this, something happened to me.”
He closed his eyes.
Victoria began crying.
Even Marcus looked away.
Sophia continued.
“I know you’ll blame yourself. Don’t.”
Daniel’s hands tightened.
“The girls need you more than your empire does. Remember that.”
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
Then Marcus opened the final file.
Thomas’s voice came through clearly.
“Once Daniel’s dead, the twins become Victoria’s responsibility. We control the trust until they turn eighteen.”
Harris laughed.
“Assuming they make it that long.”
Daniel stood so quickly the chair crashed backward.
Every man in the room went silent.
I understood immediately.
Daniel hadn’t been the only target.
The babies were targets too.
“Where is Thomas?” Daniel asked.
Marcus checked his phone.
“We found his car.”
“Where?”
“Logan Airport.”
Daniel’s face hardened.
“He’s leaving.”
A guard entered.
“Boss, another problem.”
“What?”
“Police.”
“How many?”
“Twenty vehicles.”
Daniel looked toward the windows.
Sirens echoed through the estate.
Marcus swore.
“Harris.”
“No,” I said.
Everybody looked at me.
I held up Sophia’s phone.
“Harris thinks this evidence died with Daniel.”
“So?”
“So give him what he wants.”
Daniel stared.
I explained.
“Let them arrest you.”
Marcus looked horrified.
“No.”
“Hear me out.”
I pointed at the computer.
“We have evidence.”
“Evidence can disappear,” Daniel said.
“Not if everybody sees it.”
Victoria understood first.
“The media.”
I nodded.
“Exactly.”
Daniel studied me.
“Anna Bennett.”
“What?”
“You’re either brilliant or completely insane.”
“Those aren’t mutually exclusive.”
For the first time since the alley, Daniel smiled.
Then he looked at Marcus.
“Send copies to every major newspaper in Boston.”
Marcus nodded.
“To federal prosecutors too.”
Daniel turned toward me.
“And Anna?”
“Yes?”
“Take my daughters somewhere safe.”
I shook my head.
“They’re safer with their father.”
“Not today.”
His voice softened.
“If Harris realizes the evidence exists, he’ll come for them.”
I wanted to argue.
Then Daniel handed me a small silver necklace.
Two initials were engraved on it.
E.G.
“Bring them back to me.”
I closed my fingers around it.
“You’d better be here.”
May you like
Daniel looked toward the flashing police lights outside.
“That,” he said, “is exactly what I intend to arrange.”
