Chapter 5 - My Father's Name
I stared at the transaction until the numbers blurred.
Two million dollars.
Richard Mercer.
My father.
The man I had just called for help.
The man whose security system had sealed every door.
The man who had spent seventeen years telling me the Crowes were dangerous.
Anna whispered beside me.
“You didn’t know.”
It was not a question.
I shook my head.
Gavin saw the hesitation.
Predators recognize weakness quickly.
He smiled.
“Well.”
He walked closer.
“Looks like Daddy forgot to tell you something.”
Marcus stepped between us.
Gavin raised his hands.
“I’m just talking.”
Then he looked at me.
“Maybe your family isn’t as clean as you thought.”
I wanted to hit him.
Instead, I looked at Harrison.
“What was the payment for?”
Harrison’s expression became almost sympathetic.
That made me hate him more.
“You should ask your father.”
“I’m asking you.”
“He accepted our money.”
“For what?”
Harrison glanced toward the hundreds of guests.
“I don’t discuss private business transactions.”
I laughed.
“You suddenly care about privacy?”
His face hardened.
Gavin leaned toward his father.
“What payment?”
Again, Harrison ignored him.
I pulled out my phone.
The estate lockdown network had its own independent emergency signal.
One number remained available.
Dad.
I called.
He answered on the first ring.
“Evelyn.”
His voice was breathless.
“Are you safe?”
“Why did Harrison Crowe pay you two million dollars?”
Silence.
Not confusion.
Not surprise.
Silence.
My heart sank.
“Dad.”
“Where did you see that?”
“That’s your answer?”
“Evelyn, listen carefully.”
“No.”
My voice rose for the first time that night.
“You listen.”
Several guests turned toward me.
“I have spent half my life believing Mom died because she discovered something about the Crowes.”
“She did.”
“Then why did they pay you?”
He exhaled slowly.
“I cannot explain this over the phone.”
“You’re going to.”
“Not while Harrison can hear us.”
I looked directly at Harrison.
“He already knows.”
Another pause.
Then my father spoke quietly.
“The money was not a bribe.”
“What was it?”
“A ransom.”
The ballroom disappeared again.
My hand tightened around the phone.
“For who?”
My father’s voice became softer.
“For you.”
I could not breathe.
Harrison closed his eyes.
He knew exactly what my father had said.
“What are you talking about?”
“You were sixteen.”
“I remember being sixteen.”
“No.”
Dad swallowed.
“You remember what we let you remember.”
Cold moved through my body.
“Dad.”
“What happened the night before your mother died was never in the police report.”
My voice dropped to a whisper.
“What happened?”
Before he could answer, someone shouted from the back of the ballroom.
A security officer fell against the wall.
The lights went out.
May you like
A woman screamed.
Then Gavin Crowe vanished into the darkness.
