Chapter 6 - Caroline’s Last Secret
The warehouse belonged to an abandoned shipping facility 40 miles outside the city.
Roman did not go alone.
Neither did Joan.
Federal agents established surveillance while Roman’s security team remained back under explicit orders not to interfere.
Joan sat in an unmarked vehicle wearing a protective vest.
“You should be at the estate,” Roman said.
“You’ve mentioned that.”
“Repeatedly.”
“And yet here I am.”
Against all reason, he smiled.
It changed his entire face.
Joan looked away first.
At 11:53, Victor appeared.
Alone.
He walked beneath a warehouse light and raised both hands.
Something was wrong.
Roman saw it too.
Victor looked frightened.
Not threatening.
He was carrying a flash drive.
Federal agents moved in.
Victor did not resist.
“I didn’t attack the restaurant,” he said immediately.
Roman stepped toward him.
“You expect me to believe you?”
“Michael ordered it.”
“You worked for him.”
“Yes.”
“Caroline died because of you.”
Victor’s eyes lowered.
“Yes.”
It was not a denial.
Victor explained that he had originally helped Michael hide illegal shipments.
Money had seemed easy.
Then Caroline discovered the operation.
Michael ordered Victor to frighten her.
Instead, Victor warned her.
But Michael discovered the betrayal.
On the night Caroline died, Michael’s men sabotaged her vehicle.
Victor had spent 4 years secretly collecting evidence because he knew Michael would eventually kill him too.
“Why steal Caroline’s book?”
“To keep Michael from getting it.”
“You could have come to me.”
Victor laughed bitterly.
“You trusted Michael more than your wife. Why would you trust me?”
Roman had no response.
The flash drive contained financial records, audio files, and surveillance footage.
Enough to destroy Michael.
But Michael still had one final advantage.
A private aircraft was waiting at a rural airfield.
He intended to leave the country before sunrise.
Federal agents moved.
Michael never reached the plane.
His vehicle was found abandoned 5 miles away.
He had vanished again.
Back at the estate, Joan finally opened the last sealed envelope hidden inside Caroline’s notebook.
It was addressed to Marianne.
Inside was a second letter.
FOR JOAN, WHEN SHE’S OLD ENOUGH.
Her hands shook.
She read it alone.
Caroline wrote about seeing Joan as a baby.
About wondering whether Joan would inherit Marianne’s stubbornness.
About wanting to introduce herself one day.
One line broke Joan completely.
If I never get the chance, please tell her she had a sister who loved her before she ever knew my name.
Joan cried until she could no longer see the page.
Roman found her sitting on the floor.
He did not ask questions.
He simply sat beside her.
Eventually Joan leaned against him.
His arm came around her carefully, avoiding her injured ribs.
Neither spoke.
Then Betty appeared in the doorway holding her stuffed rabbit.
“Can I sleep here?”
Joan laughed through her tears.
Roman opened his other arm.
Betty crawled between them.
For several quiet minutes they sat together on the floor.
An accidental family assembled by grief.
Then Betty looked at Joan.
“Daddy told me.”
Joan’s heart tightened.
“Told you what?”
“That Mommy was your sister.”
“Yes.”
Betty considered this.
“So you’re my aunt?”
Joan smiled.
“I guess I am.”
Betty threw both arms around her.
“I knew you belonged to me.”
Roman looked away quickly.
Joan suspected he was hiding tears.
The peaceful moment lasted exactly 4 minutes.
An alarm sounded downstairs.
Roman stood instantly.
One of the guards rushed into the hall.
“Sir, there’s a fire in the east garage.”
Roman grabbed Betty.
Joan followed.
Smoke rolled through the lower corridor.
Security rushed toward the garage.
That was when Joan understood.
The fire was a distraction.
She turned toward Betty’s bedroom.
The window was open.
The curtain moved in the night air.
Then a voice spoke behind her.
“Smart girl.”
May you like
Michael Seagull pressed a gun against Joan’s back.
“Don’t scream.”
