Chapter 5: The Secret Her Mother Took to the Grave
Emily didn't sleep that night.
She sat on the floor of her small bedroom, surrounded by photographs of her mother.
The photograph from the hospital lay beside her.
Jace had promised to come by the following morning and explain everything.
But the anonymous message wouldn't leave her mind.
Ask Jace what happened that night.
What night?
And why did the sender think Jace was hiding something?
At 8:17 the next morning, someone knocked.
Emily opened the door.
Jace stood outside holding two coffees and a paper bag.
“Breakfast?””
She stepped aside.
“I'm not hungry.””
“That's okay. I brought enough for both of us.””
He placed the bag on the kitchen counter.
Inside were two breakfast sandwiches and a small box of pastries.
Emily sat at the table.
Jace noticed the photographs.
“Your mother was beautiful.””
“She was.””
Emily pushed the anonymous message across the table.
Jace read it.
His face became serious.
“Did you send this to anyone?””
“No.””
“Good. Don't respond.””
“Jace, what happened that night?””
He lowered the phone.
“Which night?””
“The night Mom was in the accident.””
Jace sat opposite her.
For a long moment, he didn't speak.
Then he removed a folded photograph from his jacket.
It showed Margaret sitting in a hospital bed.
A younger Jace stood beside her.
Emily stared at the picture.
“You were there.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Jace looked at the photograph.
“Because I was the person who found her.””
Emily's mouth fell open.
“What?””
“Sixteen years ago, I was driving home from a volunteer meeting. I saw a car off the road. Your mother was trapped inside. You were in the back seat.””
Emily covered her mouth.
“You saved us?””
“I helped get you out before the emergency crew arrived.””
Tears filled her eyes.
“Mom never told me.””
“She wanted you to forget the accident. You were only a baby.””
Emily touched the photograph.
“Were you there when she recovered?””
“For a while. She was in the hospital for several weeks. I visited when I could.””
“Then why did you disappear?””
Jace looked down.
“Because someone told me to stay away.””
“Who?””
“Daniel.””
Emily leaned back.
“Why?””
Jace rubbed his jaw.
“Your mother had discovered something about the foundation. She'd been keeping records of suspicious transfers. Daniel came to see me one night and said Margaret was terrified. He claimed my involvement was making things worse.””
“So you left?””
“I thought I was protecting her.””
Emily stood abruptly.
“You all keep saying you were protecting her! My father said it. Now you say it. Everyone decided what was best for Mom without asking her!””
Jace accepted the anger.
“You're right.””
She turned away.
“I don't want another person telling me they abandoned us for our own good.””
Jace nodded.
“I understand.””
He stood, but Emily spoke before he reached the door.
“Wait.””
He turned.
“Tell me everything.””
An hour later, Marcus arrived with a woman in a charcoal-gray suit.
“This is Rebecca Hayes,” Jace said.
“She's our attorney.””
Rebecca shook Emily's hand.
“Your friend asked me to look into the foundation account.””
Emily handed her the documents.
Rebecca examined them carefully.
“Do you know who had legal authority over this account?””
“My father.””
“Did you ever sign anything authorizing withdrawals?””
Emily shook her head.
“I didn't even know the account existed.””
Rebecca looked at Jace.
“That could be a serious problem.””
She spread the documents across the table.
“There were several deposits made into the account over the years. Some came from the foundation. Others appear to be investment returns.””
Emily stared at the numbers.
“How much was there?””
Rebecca pointed to the final statement.
“Approximately eight hundred and forty thousand dollars before the recent transfers.””
Emily felt sick.
“That's impossible.””
“Unfortunately, the documents suggest otherwise.””
Rebecca continued.
“Six weeks ago, almost all the money was transferred to Northstar Holdings.””
Jace leaned forward.
“That's the company involved in my accident.””
Rebecca nodded.
“I found something else. Northstar Holdings was incorporated under a different name sixteen years ago.””
She turned her laptop around.
The company registration listed two directors.
Daniel Carter.
And a man named Victor Hale.
Jace went completely still.
Marcus noticed.
“You know him?””
Jace nodded slowly.
“Victor Hale was the chairman of the children's foundation.””
Rebecca frowned.
“He was also investigated for financial misconduct, but the case was closed.””
Emily looked at her.
“Why?””
Rebecca opened another document.
“Because the primary witness withdrew her statement.””
Emily stared at the name.
Margaret Carter.
Her mother.
“She wouldn't have done that,” Emily whispered.
Jace shook his head.
“Not unless someone forced her.””
At noon, Emily received another call from the unknown number.
This time, she answered.
“Hello?””
A man's voice came through.
“Emily Carter?””
“Who is this?””
“My name is Victor Hale.””
Emily looked at Jace.
He immediately motioned for her to put the phone on speaker.
Victor continued.
“I understand you've been asking questions about your mother's foundation.””
“What do you want?””
“To help you understand the situation.””
“My mother was robbed.””
A short laugh came through the phone.
“Your mother made some poor decisions.””
Emily's fingers tightened around the device.
“She was a good woman.””
“I didn't say otherwise.””
“Then why did you take her money?””
Victor's tone changed.
“Listen carefully, young lady. Your father made arrangements that were necessary for your future. You should be grateful.””
“Grateful?””
“Yes. Your mother was emotionally unstable. She couldn't manage her affairs.””
Jace stepped closer.
“Put him on speaker.””
Emily did.
Jace leaned toward the phone.
“Victor Hale.””
There was silence.
Then Victor laughed.
“Well, if it isn't Jace Morgan.””
“It's been a long time.””
“Apparently not long enough.””
Jace's eyes narrowed.
“Why did you transfer Emily's money?””
“That's a private financial matter.””
“Not anymore.””
Victor lowered his voice.
“You should have stayed away from the Carters, Jace. Last time you got involved, people got hurt.””
Jace didn't blink.
“Are you threatening me?””
“I'm reminding you.””
The call ended.
Emily looked at Jace.
“What did he mean?””
Jace put his phone away.
“Nothing you need to worry about.””
She shook her head.
“No. No more secrets.””
Jace looked at her.
“Victor was the last person to see your mother before she disappeared from the foundation.””
Emily frowned.
“Disappeared?””
“He claimed she resigned.””
Rebecca checked her notes.
“But Margaret never signed a resignation letter.””
Jace nodded.
“And there's one more thing.””
He reached into his jacket and removed a small key.
“Your mother gave me this the day before she died.””
Emily stared at it.
“Why?””
“She told me to keep it until you were old enough to understand.””
“What's it open?””
Jace looked at Rebecca.
“A storage locker.””
Emily took the key.
A tiny metal tag was attached to it.
Locker 214.
She read the number twice.
Then she looked at Jace.
“What's inside?””
He answered quietly.
“The reason your mother was so afraid.””
That afternoon, they drove to a storage facility on the outskirts of town.
Marcus followed on his motorcycle.
Rebecca carried a folder of legal documents.
Emily held the key tightly in her palm.
Locker 214 was at the end of a dim corridor.
Jace unlocked the padlock.
The metal door rolled upward.
Inside were several cardboard boxes, a suitcase, and an old wooden cabinet.
Emily stepped forward.
The first box contained photographs.
The second held financial records.
The third contained letters.
She recognized her mother's handwriting immediately.
Her knees nearly gave way.
“Mom?””
She picked up the top envelope.
It had her name written across it.
For Emily, when she's ready.
Her hands trembled as she opened it.
The letter began:
My darling girl, if you're reading this, then someone finally helped you find the truth. There are things I couldn't explain when you were little. Things I hoped would never affect your life.
Emily wiped her eyes.
Then she reached the final paragraph.
Your father didn't leave because he stopped loving you. He left because he was paid to disappear.
Emily stopped breathing.
Jace moved closer.
“What?””
She handed him the letter.
He read the sentence.
His face went pale.
Rebecca took the remaining papers from the box.
Then she found a sealed envelope containing a photograph.
It showed Daniel Carter standing beside Victor Hale.
Both men were shaking hands.
Behind them was a sign bearing the foundation's name.
On the back, Margaret had written a date.
Sixteen years earlier.
And beneath the date were six words.
The payment was made before the accident.
Emily looked up.
“Mom knew?””
Jace nodded slowly.
“She knew something was wrong.””
But Rebecca was examining another document.
“Jace, look at this.””
It was an old hospital report.
The report stated that Margaret had suffered serious injuries in the accident, but had recovered sufficiently to leave the hospital.
However, a handwritten note had been added to the bottom.
Patient requested protective custody for newborn child. Request denied.
Emily stared.
“Protective custody?””
Rebecca turned the page.
There was a second document.
A formal statement, signed by Margaret.
And one sentence was underlined in red ink.
I am afraid they will come back for my daughter.
Emily felt the blood drain from her face.
“Who are they?””
Before anyone could answer, a sound came from outside.
A car door slammed.
Then footsteps approached the storage unit.
Marcus stepped into the corridor.
“Jace?””
Jace turned.
“What is it?””
Marcus pointed toward the entrance.
“Someone's here.””
A man's voice echoed through the building.
“Emily Carter?””
Jace moved in front of her.
A tall stranger appeared at the end of the corridor.
He wore a dark jacket and held a photograph in his hand.
He looked directly at Emily.
“My name is Thomas Reed,” he said.
“I was your mother's attorney.””
Emily swallowed.
“What do you want?””
Thomas raised the photograph.
“To give you something your mother wanted you to have before she died.””
He paused.
May you like
Then he added:
“Your real birth certificate.””
