Chapter 4 - THE FIRST MOTHER WHO DISAPPEARED
Adrian had been told his mother died in a car accident.
He had believed it for thirty-three years.
The flash drive said otherwise.
At 2:17 in the morning, Adrian sat inside a private conference room at police headquarters.
Elena sat across from him with Noah asleep against her chest.
Detective Sloan inserted Malcolm’s drive into an isolated computer.
The folder marked A.W. contained photographs.
Documents.
Audio recordings.
And one scanned letter.
Adrian recognized his father’s handwriting.
REMOVE HER ACCESS TO THE BOY.
Adrian stared at the sentence.
Below it was his mother’s name.
Margaret Whitmore.
His hands began shaking.
“My mother didn’t die?”
Detective Sloan opened another file.
A death certificate.
Then another.
A private psychiatric facility intake form dated two days later.
Same woman.
Same birth date.
Different surname.
Adrian stood abruptly.
“No.”
Elena watched him.
“Adrian.”
“My father told me she was dead.”
Noah stirred.
Elena rubbed his back.
Adrian lowered his voice.
“He took me to a grave.”
Malcolm, seated in the adjacent interrogation room, had already begun talking.
Not because he had suddenly developed a conscience.
Because he wanted a deal.
According to Malcolm, Margaret Whitmore had discovered financial crimes committed by Charles.
When she threatened to leave with five-year-old Adrian, Charles used physicians, attorneys, and paid witnesses to have her declared unstable.
She was institutionalized.
Her death was fabricated publicly.
Years later, she disappeared from the facility.
Malcolm claimed he never knew where she went.
Adrian looked at Elena.
“My father did to my mother what he did to you.”
Elena’s eyes softened.
“And Vivi knew.”
Adrian looked at the computer.
A payment record showed Vivi’s family funding the same private network.
He whispered.
“They all knew.”
Elena’s voice was quiet.
“Not you.”
Adrian looked at her.
“I should have.”
“You were five when your mother disappeared.”
“I’m talking about Noah.”
Silence.
“I should have asked more questions.”
“You trusted your wife.”
“And because I did, you lost six years.”
Elena looked down at Noah.
“I’m not interested in punishing you for what Vivi did.”
“That doesn’t make me innocent.”
“No.”
Her answer surprised him.
Elena met his eyes.
“But it makes you useful.”
Adrian almost laughed.
Even now, she was stronger than he remembered.
“What do you want?”
“My son safe.”
“He will be.”
“I want every record corrected.”
“Done.”
“I want every charge they manufactured against me investigated.”
“Done.”
“And I want the names of everyone who helped them.”
Adrian looked toward the interrogation room.
“So do I.”
At 3:04 a.m., Detective Sloan entered.
“We have a problem.”
“What?”
“Vivi’s gone.”
Adrian stood.
“What do you mean gone?”
“She was released pending further investigation.”
“Who authorized that?”
“A judge.”
“Which judge?”
Sloan placed a paper on the table.
Judge Thomas Bellamy.
Vivi’s uncle.
Adrian laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“Of course.”
Elena held Noah tighter.
“Where would she go?”
Adrian knew.
“Home.”
Vivi had always believed Whitmore House belonged to her.
By 3:30 a.m., they arrived.
The mansion was dark.
Adrian entered with police.
Vivi was not there.
Her closet had been emptied.
The safe was open.
Cash was missing.
Jewelry was missing.
Passports were missing.
But something had been left behind.
A photograph sat on Adrian’s desk.
His mother.
Margaret.
Older.
Alive.
The photograph had been taken only three months earlier.
On the back Vivi had written:
YOU WANT THE TRUTH?
ASK YOUR MOTHER WHY SHE CAME BACK.
Adrian stared at it.
Elena entered behind him.
“She knows where your mother is.”
“Yes.”
“Why would she tell you?”
Adrian looked toward the empty safe.
“Because Vivi isn’t running.”
He turned the photograph over.
“She’s bargaining.”
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
Adrian answered.
Vivi’s voice came through.
“Did you like my gift?”
“Where are you?”
“Does it matter?”
“Where is my mother?”
Vivi laughed softly.
“You’re finally asking the right questions.”
“What do you want?”
“My son.”
Adrian looked toward Elena.
“No.”
“Then you’ll never find Margaret.”
“You kidnapped Noah tonight.”
“No.”
“Malcolm did.”
“You ordered it.”
Silence.
Adrian continued.
“You lost him.”
“You lost control of Malcolm.”
“And now you’re trying to trade my mother for Noah.”
Vivi’s voice hardened.
“He is my child.”
“You stole him.”
“I raised him.”
“You terrorized him into forgetting Elena.”
“I loved him!”
“Love doesn’t require threats.”
Vivi began breathing harder.
Then she said something Adrian did not expect.
“Elena isn’t telling you everything.”
Elena heard it.
Her expression changed.
Adrian noticed.
“What is she hiding?”
“Ask her why she came to New York seven years ago.”
Adrian looked at Elena.
She went still.
“Ask her why she attended that conference.”
Vivi continued.
“Ask her who paid for her ticket.”
“Elena?”
She said nothing.
“Ask her who arranged for you two to meet.”
Adrian’s stomach tightened.
“What are you talking about?”
Vivi laughed.
“You think your romance happened by accident?”
The line went dead.
Adrian slowly lowered the phone.
He looked at Elena.
She had gone pale.
“Is that true?”
Elena whispered.
“Part of it.”
Adrian stared at her.
“What part?”
She looked at Noah.
May you like
Then at him.
“I didn’t meet you by accident.”
