Chapter 12 - The Man Who Was Silenced
Martin Keane’s body was found inside a parked car near downtown Los Angeles.
Police initially believed he had taken his own life.
Detective Ortiz did not.
A message had been placed on the passenger seat.
THE HALES ALWAYS PROTECT THEIR OWN.
Charles’s attorney immediately used the note to suggest Martin had acted alone.
Victoria knew better.
Martin had been frightened in the hotel basement.
But not only of Charles.
He had warned her that powerful people depended on the Hale archive remaining buried.
Michael Torres had discovered that network.
Claire had discovered it too.
Now Martin was dead.
Ethan returned to his father’s files.
Samuel Cole had kept a list of officials he believed interfered with Claire’s investigation.
One name appeared repeatedly.
Deputy Chief Raymond Walsh.
Walsh was now commissioner of the Los Angeles Police Department.
Ortiz went silent when she saw the name.
Victoria noticed.
“You know him.”
“He promoted me.”
Ethan stared at her.
“Can you trust him?”
Ortiz took a long breath.
“I don’t know.”
That answer frightened everyone.
Sophie remained under federal protective supervision after the archive implicated local officials.
Victoria stayed with her.
Their relationship remained fragile.
Sophie accepted food from her.
She accepted protection.
But she did not call Victoria family.
Not yet.
Late that evening, Sophie played Claire’s third recording.
Claire sounded exhausted.
“If Victoria is listening, then Sophie decided you deserved another chance.”
Victoria lowered her eyes.
Claire continued.
“Victoria, I hated you for years.”
Sophie watched her reaction.
“You promised to come.”
“You didn’t.”
“You chose him.”
Victoria’s eyes filled.
Claire’s recorded voice softened.
“But I know what Father did to us.”
“He taught us that love meant obedience.”
“He made fear feel like loyalty.”
Victoria covered her mouth.
“I still need you to make a choice.”
Claire continued.
“Not for me.”
“For Sophie.”
“Protect her from the archive.”
Victoria looked at Sophie.
“The archive contains something Charles never knew I copied.”
“A list of everyone who paid him for protection.”
“Some of those people will kill to keep it secret.”
Ethan leaned closer.
Claire gave instructions.
“The real list is hidden where Victoria and I buried our childhood time capsule.”
Victoria immediately knew the place.
The fountain courtyard.
The original fountain had been removed during renovations.
But the stone base still existed beneath the hotel garden.
Victoria stood.
“I know where it is.”
Before they could leave, the suite phone rang.
Victoria answered cautiously.
Silence.
Then a woman breathed on the other end.
Victoria’s heart stopped.
“Hello?”
The voice whispered.
“Vicky?”
No one had called her that since childhood.
Only Claire.
Victoria could not move.
“Claire?”
Sophie jumped to her feet.
The woman on the phone started crying.
Victoria pressed the receiver harder against her ear.
“Claire, where are you?”
A sound occurred in the background.
A door.
Footsteps.
Claire whispered urgently.
“He found me.”
The line went dead.
Sophie stared at Victoria.
“Was that her?”
Victoria nodded.
For the first time in eleven years, she knew with certainty.
May you like
Her sister was alive.
And someone had just found her first.
