Chapter 7 - THE HOUSE SEARCH
The police searched the Pendelton mansion until sunrise.
They found enough evidence to make my stomach turn.
Medication hidden inside Florence's bedroom.
Documents linking Paige to the clinic.
Financial transfers from the company.
And a burner phone inside Brenda's office.
But the worst discovery came from Vivienne's study.
A hidden compartment beneath the floor contained a notebook.
Vivienne's handwriting.
Page after page.
Names.
Dates.
Payments.
Conversations.
The first page read:
I no longer know who I can trust.
The second:
Conrad is innocent.
The third:
If anything happens to me, look at the people who benefit.
The list contained three names.
Florence.
Paige.
Mason.
Brenda was not listed.
That surprised me.
Then I reached the final pages.
Vivienne had written:
Brenda is frightened because she knows what happened.
And:
She didn't participate willingly.
I closed the notebook.
The detective approached.
“Mr. Pendelton.”
“Yes?”
“We found something else.”
He handed me an evidence bag.
Inside was a small vial.
“What is it?”
“Lab will determine that.”
“Where was it found?”
“In your mother's room.”
My stomach tightened.
“Then arrest her.”
“She isn't here.”
“What?”
“She left before officers arrived.”
I stared at him.
“Where?”
“We're working on it.”
My phone rang.
Hospital.
I answered.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Pendelton, this is Dr. Harris.”
“Yes.”
“Your wife is awake again.”
My heart jumped.
“Can I speak to her?”
“She wants you.”
I rushed to the hospital.
When I entered the room, Vivienne was sitting up.
She looked exhausted.
But alive.
I took her hand.
“I'm here.”
She stared at me.
“I know.”
“I know everything.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“No.”
“What?”
“You know what they wanted you to know.”
“What does that mean?”
Vivienne looked at the door.
Then whispered:
“Your mother wasn't the mastermind.”
I froze.
“Then who?”
She shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“But you suspected her.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Because she knew about Maeve.”
“She arranged your adoption.”
“Yes.”
“And she helped hide the trust.”
“Yes.”
“Then why isn't she the mastermind?”
Vivienne closed her eyes.
“Because she was protecting someone.”
“Who?”
She whispered:
“Mason.”
My brother.
I couldn't speak.
“Why would she protect him?”
“Because Mason isn't your father's son.”
I stared at her.
“What?”
Vivienne squeezed my hand.
“Your mother had another child before you.”
“Mason?”
She nodded.
“My father was not his father.”
I couldn't breathe.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Mason was the beneficiary of the hidden trust before I discovered it.”
“Why?”
“Because your father believed Mason was his son.”
“But he wasn't.”
“No.”
“Then who was his father?”
Vivienne looked terrified.
“I don't know.”
Suddenly, a nurse entered.
“Mr. Pendelton, there's someone asking to see your wife.”
“Who?”
The nurse handed me a card.
No name.
Just an address.
I turned it over.
Four words were written in black ink.
Ask who killed your father.
I looked at Vivienne.
She was staring at the card.
“Who gave this to you?”
The nurse shrugged.
“A woman.”
“What woman?”
“She said she was your wife's mother.”
Maeve.
I ran into the hallway.
But Maeve was nowhere.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A man's voice said:
“Conrad, your wife wasn't the only person your family tried to bury.”
“Who are you?”
The caller laughed softly.
“Ask your mother what happened fifteen years ago.”
Then the call ended.
May you like
Fifteen years.
The year my father died.
