Chapter 8: What Their Mothers Hid
Emergency lights flickered along the showroom floor.
For two seconds, nobody moved.
Then the lights came back.
The red sports car gleamed under the ceiling fixtures.
Isaiah's hand was still wrapped around Marcus's.
“Dad?””
“I've got you.””
Marcus looked toward the security cameras.
Four small red lights blinked above the showroom.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
All four went dark.
Daniel noticed.
“That's not normal.””
Marcus looked at him.
“You think?””
Daniel hurried toward the security desk.
“Stay here.””
Marcus followed.
Vanessa came behind them.
At the desk, Daniel pressed several buttons.
Nothing happened.
“No signal.””
“Backup?”” Marcus asked.
“Should be.””
“Should be?””
Daniel slammed his palm against the counter.
“I'm trying.””
Marcus looked at the monitors.
Every screen displayed the same frozen image.
The showroom.
The red car.
Marcus and Isaiah standing beside it.
Then the image changed.
A black screen.
White letters appeared.
*OPEN ARCHIVE: CARTER*
Marcus stared.
“What is that?””
Daniel stopped typing.
“I don't know.””
The words disappeared.
Another line appeared.
*FILE 14 — EVELYN CARTER*
Marcus's stomach tightened.
Vanessa whispered, “Don't open it.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Why?””
“I don't know.””
“Then why are you afraid?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“Because my mother warned me about that file.””
Marcus stepped toward the monitor.
“Your mother knew about my mother?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Vanessa's voice trembled.
“They worked together.””
Daniel turned sharply.
“Vanessa.””
She looked at him.
“You knew?””
“No.””
“You knew they knew each other.””
“I knew there had been contact.””
“That isn't what you told me.””
Daniel looked away.
Marcus stared between them.
“You're both hiding something.””
Daniel shook his head.
“Marcus, listen to me.””
“No.””
Marcus pointed toward the monitor.
“Fifteen years ago, my father was arrested. My mother signed documents she supposedly didn't want to sign. Your father approved the transfer. Now somebody is calling me and telling me my mother betrayed my father.””
He took a breath.
“And somehow both of you knew pieces of this.””
Nobody answered.
Marcus nodded.
“Fine.””
He turned toward the security desk.
“Open the file.””
Daniel grabbed his arm.
“Don't.””
Marcus looked down at his hand.
Then back at him.
“Let go.””
Daniel did.
Marcus pressed the keyboard.
The monitor changed.
A video appeared.
The image was grainy.
Old security footage.
The date in the corner read:
*08/14/2011 — 4:12 PM*
Marcus stopped breathing.
His father walked into frame.
Younger.
Broader.
Wearing a white shirt.
Beside him was Evelyn.
Marcus's mother.
They were arguing.
The audio was faint.
Marcus increased the volume.
His father's voice came through.
“You promised me you had the documents.””
His mother's voice followed.
“I have them.””
“Then give them to me.””
“I can't.””
“Evelyn.””
“I can't, Leon.””
Marcus stared at the screen.
His mother looked terrified.
His father reached toward her.
She stepped backward.
“I did this to protect Marcus.””
Leon stopped.
“You think I'm going to let them take everything?””
“They're watching us.””
“Who?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know.””
The footage jumped.
A man entered the frame.
Gray suit.
Marcus leaned closer.
“That's him.””
Daniel whispered, “Who?””
“The man from the photograph.””
The man approached Leon.
The audio became clearer.
“Mr. Carter.””
Leon turned.
“Who are you?””
The man smiled.
“You know exactly who I am.””
The footage froze.
Marcus looked at Daniel.
“Who is that?””
Daniel stared at the screen.
“I've never seen him.””
Marcus pointed.
“You're lying.””
“I swear.””
Vanessa stepped forward.
She was staring at the man's face.
Her expression had gone blank.
Marcus noticed.
“You recognize him.””
“No.””
“Vanessa.””
She shook her head.
“I've never met him.””
Marcus moved closer.
“Then why do you look terrified?””
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“Because my mother had a photograph of him.””
Marcus stopped.
“Where?””
“In her house.””
“Who is he?””
“I don't know.””
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“Your mother never told you?””
“She told me never to say his name.””
Marcus looked back at the monitor.
The footage resumed.
The gray-suited man placed an envelope on the table.
Leon didn't touch it.
“What is this?”” Leon asked.
“An offer.””
“For what?””
“Your silence.””
Leon laughed.
“You think money is going to make me disappear?””
The man leaned closer.
“Not money.””
He pointed toward the door.
“Your family.””
Leon went still.
The screen cut to static.
Isaiah had been watching from behind Marcus.
“Dad…”
Marcus turned.
“Go sit with Vanessa.””
Isaiah looked at Vanessa.
She immediately crouched.
“Come here.””
Isaiah went to her.
Marcus returned his attention to the monitor.
Daniel's face was pale.
“You never saw this?””
“No.””
“Then why was it hidden?””
“I don't know.””
Marcus looked at him.
“You're the dealership director.””
“I wasn't then.””
“You're still responsible for what happened now.””
Daniel nodded.
“I know.””
Marcus pointed at the frozen image.
“Who had access to this archive?””
Daniel stared at the screen.
“Three people.””
“Names.””
“Richard Whitmore.””
“Your father.””
“Yes.””
“Who else?””
“The head of security.””
“And?””
Daniel hesitated.
“The accounting director.””
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“Who was that?””
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa answered.
“My mother.””
Silence.
Marcus stared at her.
“Camille?””
Vanessa nodded.
“My mother was the accounting director.””
Marcus's mind raced.
“Then she knew my mother.””
“Yes.””
“And she knew about the fraudulent vehicle records.””
“Yes.””
“And she knew my father was being threatened.””
“Yes.””
Marcus stepped back.
“Then why did she let it happen?””
Vanessa wiped her eyes.
“I don't know.””
Marcus looked at her.
“You said your mother told you my mother betrayed my father.””
“She did.””
“But this footage shows them trying to protect him.””
“I know.””
“Then your mother lied.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“Maybe she believed it.””
Marcus frowned.
“Believed what?””
“That Evelyn stole the documents.””
Marcus stared.
“What documents?””
Vanessa reached into her purse.
She pulled out a small envelope.
“I found this in my mother's house after she died.””
Marcus took it.
Inside was a handwritten note.
*Evelyn — I kept my promise. The original records are safe. Leon must never know where.*
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“Who wrote this?””
“My mother.””
His fingers tightened around the paper.
Daniel suddenly whispered:
“The original records.””
Marcus looked at him.
“You know where they are?””
Daniel nodded slowly.
“My father used to talk about a storage vault.””
“Where?””
“I never knew.””
Marcus stared at the note.
Then noticed something written on the back.
A number.
*17-B.*
Vanessa stepped closer.
“That's not a room number.””
Daniel's eyes widened.
“No.””
Marcus looked at him.
“What?””
Daniel swallowed.
“It's a vault designation.””
“Where?””
Daniel didn't answer.
“Daniel.””
“The old dealership.””
Marcus frowned.
“This dealership?””
“No.””
Daniel looked toward the glass doors.
“The original location.””
“Where is it?””
Daniel's face tightened.
“Three blocks away.””
Marcus grabbed his jacket.
“Then we're going.””
Daniel caught his shoulder.
“You don't understand.””
Marcus turned.
“What?””
“The old building was closed twelve years ago.””
“So?””
Daniel looked at the clock.
“It was demolished tonight.””
Marcus froze.
“What?””
Daniel pointed toward the windows.
Across the street, beyond the showroom glass, a plume of dust rose into the night sky.
A distant mechanical roar echoed through the city.
Marcus's phone vibrated.
He looked down.
One new message.
*UNKNOWN: Vault 17-B wasn't destroyed.*
Another message arrived.
*UNKNOWN: But you have one hour to find it.*
Then a final message.
*UNKNOWN: Bring Vanessa. She has the key.*
Marcus slowly looked at Vanessa.
She stared back.
“I don't have a key.””
Marcus's eyes dropped to her hand.
There, hanging from a thin chain around her neck, was a small brass key.
Vanessa touched it.
Her face went pale.
“I've had this since I was a child.””
May you like
Daniel whispered:
“That's it.””