Chapter 6 - WHAT WAS HIDDEN BEHIND THE WALL
Hudson removed the crib himself.
Behind it was a section of wall that looked completely ordinary.
Until he noticed a tiny brass keyhole.
Naomi inserted the key.
Click.
A panel opened.
Inside was a safe.
Hudson stared.
"She built this?"
Naomi nodded.
"Delilah said it was for the girls."
Hudson entered the combination.
Nothing.
He tried their birth date.
Nothing.
Naomi whispered:
"Try the day she met you."
Hudson froze.
He entered the date.
The safe opened.
Inside were documents.
Photographs.
A flash drive.
And five envelopes.
Each had a baby's name.
Hudson opened Avery's first.
Inside was a letter.
My precious daughter,
If you are old enough to read this, then I wasn't there to watch you grow.
Hudson's vision blurred.
He read on.
Your father loves you, even if grief makes him forget how to show it.
He stopped.
Naomi looked away.
Hudson opened the other envelopes.
Every letter contained the same message.
Delilah had known she might die.
But there was something else.
A legal document.
Hudson read it twice.
"The Vale Family Trust."
He looked at Naomi.
"What is this?"
"The truth."
The document stated that Delilah had placed the majority of her personal fortune into a trust for the five girls.
But there was a condition.
Hudson could not access the trust unless he remained actively involved in their lives.
Vivian could not access it at all.
Hudson laughed bitterly.
"She knew."
Naomi nodded.
"She knew you would try to solve everything with money."
His face fell.
"She knew me better than I knew myself."
Then he found the final document.
A handwritten note.
Hudson,
If you ever find this, don't blame yourself.
But don't forgive everyone either.
Someone inside our family betrayed us.
I don't know who.
Trust Naomi.
She knows more than she thinks.
Hudson looked at Naomi.
"What does that mean?"
Naomi shook her head.
"I don't know."
"Then why did Delilah say you knew?"
"I don't know!"
Naomi began crying.
Hudson stepped toward her.
"Naomi."
"I tried to help her."
"Tell me."
"I was there the night she died."
Hudson stopped.
"What?"
Naomi covered her face.
"I wasn't supposed to be."
"Where?"
"At the hospital."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because someone told me I'd be blamed."
"Who?"
Naomi whispered:
"Your mother."
Vivian was waiting downstairs.
Hudson walked toward her.
"You threatened Naomi."
Vivian didn't answer.
"You threatened her."
"I warned her."
"About what?"
"About the consequences of interfering with family affairs."
Hudson's voice became ice.
"You don't get to call this family."
Vivian's eyes hardened.
"You have no idea what you're doing."
"I know exactly what I'm doing."
"You think Delilah was innocent?"
Hudson stopped.
"What does that mean?"
Vivian laughed.
"Ask her what she did with Ethan."
Naomi appeared behind him.
"Nothing."
Vivian turned.
"You were there."
"I was."
"You saw her."
"I saw a woman terrified of dying."
Vivian's face tightened.
"She was lying to you."
"No."
Naomi's voice became stronger.
"She was trying to protect her daughters."
Vivian stared at her.
Then she smiled.
"You're very brave."
Naomi didn't move.
Vivian stepped closer.
"You should remember that brave people can still disappear."
Hudson stepped between them.
"Leave."
Vivian laughed.
"You can't stop me."
"I can."
He picked up his phone.
"Security will escort you out."
Vivian's smile disappeared.
"You'll regret this."
Hudson watched her leave.
Then his phone rang.
The hospital.
"Ethan survived."
Hudson closed his eyes.
For the first time, hope entered the room.
But the doctor had one more thing to say.
"Ethan asked for Naomi."
Hudson looked at her.
Naomi's face turned pale.
"Why me?"
May you like
Hudson didn't know.
But they were about to find out.
