Chapter 13: The Father Who Bought His Daughter's Silence
The hospital photograph was only twelve minutes old.
Victoria knew because the digital timestamp appeared in the corner of the image.
Her mother had been in a guarded medical room when the photograph was taken. Now the bed was empty, the window was open, and a message had been written across the pillow in red ink.
YOUR MOTHER IS WITH ME.
Victoria called Evelyn immediately.
No answer.
She tried again.
Nothing.
Then she called the police commander overseeing Daniel's arrest.
"Lock down the hospital," she ordered.
"Nobody leaves that building.""
The commander frowned.
"Miss Vance, you're not in charge of this operation.""
Victoria stepped closer.
"Then let me explain something. Your officers just arrested one member of a criminal organization that has been operating for nearly thirty years. The man who controls it has kidnapped my mother. If you waste another minute arguing about authority, you'll be explaining to a federal judge why she died while you were protecting your paperwork.""
The commander stared at her.
Then he grabbed his radio.
"All units, return to Newport Hospital. Immediate priority. Possible kidnapping.""
Victoria turned toward Samuel.
"Find Robert Hale.""
Samuel opened his tablet.
"I already started.""
"Where is he?""
"His New York office is empty. His penthouse is empty. His private aircraft hasn't filed a flight plan.""
"Then how did he move my mother?""
Samuel hesitated.
"There's another property.""
"What property?""
"An estate outside Greenwich, Connecticut. It belongs to a foundation registered under Margaret's maiden name.""
Victoria frowned.
"Why would my father own a property under my mother's name?""
Samuel looked at the photograph.
"Because he built the foundation before her supposed death.""
Richard, still seated in his wheelchair, lowered his head.
"That's where he kept the original records.""
Elena turned toward him.
"You knew about this?""
Richard nodded.
"Robert never trusted electronic storage. He believed every important secret needed a physical copy.""
Victoria approached him.
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I was afraid.""
She laughed bitterly.
"That seems to be the favorite excuse of every man in this family.""
Richard accepted the accusation without defending himself.
"You're right.""
Victoria looked at Elena.
"Can you travel?""
Elena nodded.
"I've spent twenty-three years cleaning up after these people. I'm not stopping now.""
Richard tried to stand.
Victoria placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You stay here.""
"Victoria—"
"You've spent your entire life letting Robert and Daniel decide what happens to this family. Let someone else handle it.""
Richard's eyes filled.
"You're right.""
For once, he didn't argue.
At 3:20 p.m., Victoria, Elena, Samuel, and Veronica arrived at the Greenwich estate.
It was an enormous stone property hidden behind rows of ancient oak trees.
Unlike Vance Manor, it had no visible security guards.
No cameras.
No gates displaying a family crest.
It looked almost abandoned.
Samuel checked the address.
"This is it.""
Veronica stared at the house.
"I've been here before.""
Victoria turned.
"When?""
"Three years ago. Daniel brought me here after our engagement.""
"What happened?""
"He said it was a family retreat.""
Veronica looked toward the second-floor windows.
"I heard someone crying.""
Elena stiffened.
"Who?""
"I don't know. Daniel told me it was a housekeeper.""
Victoria approached the front door.
It was unlocked.
Inside, the air smelled of old wood and expensive furniture polish.
A grandfather clock stood in the foyer.
Its hands were stopped at 11:45.
Samuel examined the walls.
"Something's wrong.""
"What?""
"No electricity, but the security system is running.""
He opened a small panel beneath the staircase.
A green light blinked.
"Someone is monitoring us.""
A voice suddenly filled the foyer.
"Welcome home, Victoria.""
She froze.
The voice came from hidden speakers.
Robert Hale.
Her father's voice.
Warm, familiar, almost affectionate.
"I was beginning to think you wouldn't come.""
Victoria looked toward the ceiling.
"Where is my mother?""
A soft laugh.
"Always straight to business. You haven't changed.""
"Where is she?""
"Upstairs.""
Victoria moved toward the staircase.
Samuel caught her arm.
"Wait.""
A small screen descended from the ceiling.
Robert appeared.
He was sitting behind a mahogany desk in a room filled with books.
He looked older than the man in Victoria's childhood memories, but his eyes were exactly the same.
"Hello, sweetheart.""
Victoria stared at him.
"You let me bury you.""
Robert smiled.
"Technically, you buried a body.""
Her face twisted.
"You let me cry at your funeral.""
"I had no choice.""
"You always had a choice.""
Robert leaned back.
"Your mother would disagree.""
Elena stepped forward.
"Where is she?""
Robert looked at her.
"Ah. The housekeeper.""
Elena's expression hardened.
"My name is Elena.""
"I know who you are.""
"Then you know what you did to my son.""
Robert smiled.
"I gave him a future.""
"You stole his childhood.""
"I gave him an empire.""
Elena's voice shook.
"You gave him a reason to hate everyone who loved him.""
Robert's smile disappeared.
"Be careful, Elena. You are still a very small part of a much larger story.""
Victoria stepped between them.
"Show me my mother.""
Robert tapped his desk.
The screen changed.
Margaret appeared, sitting in a chair with her hands bound.
Her face was bruised.
Victoria rushed toward the screen.
"Mom!""
Margaret looked up.
"Victoria, don't come here!""
Robert returned to the screen.
"Your mother is safe. For now.""
"What do you want?""
"The trust documents.""
"You already have the documents.""
"I have copies. I want the originals.""
Victoria held up the family folder.
"Why?""
Robert's expression became serious.
"Because the company doesn't belong to you.""
"It legally does.""
"Not anymore.""
He pressed another button.
A document appeared.
It showed a transfer of shares from the Hale family trust to a private corporation.
The date was two days earlier.
Victoria stared at it.
"That's forged.""
Robert smiled.
"Prove it.""
"You don't have my signature.""
"No. But I have Margaret's.""
Victoria's eyes narrowed.
"She would never sign that.""
Robert leaned forward.
"She already did.""
A new image appeared.
Margaret's signature.
Then another.
And another.
Three separate documents.
All bearing her name.
Veronica stepped closer.
"How did you get those?""
Robert looked at her.
"Hello, Veronica.""
She raised her pistol toward the screen.
"Don't talk to me.""
Robert laughed.
"Still angry about your childhood?""
Veronica's hand trembled.
Robert continued.
"You should be grateful. Without Project Genesis, you would never have existed.""
Victoria looked at the screen.
"You're going to release her?""
"Of course.""
"When?""
"When you sign the transfer.""
Victoria took a breath.
Then she smiled.
"All right.""
Samuel turned sharply.
"Victoria—"
She ignored him.
"I'll sign.""
Robert's expression brightened.
"Excellent.""
"But I have one condition.""
"Name it.""
"You release my mother first.""
Robert shook his head.
"No.""
"Then no deal.""
He stared at her for several seconds.
Then his smile returned.
"You're still negotiating like a child.""
The screen went black.
A loud click sounded upstairs.
Elena looked toward the staircase.
"That was a lock.""
Samuel checked the security panel.
"He's sealed the upper floor.""
Victoria looked at the screen.
"He's not upstairs.""
Samuel frowned.
"What?""
"Look at the room behind him.""
She pointed toward the bookshelf.
A small framed photograph stood beside a bronze lamp.
It showed the Greenwich estate's garden.
But through the window behind Robert, Victoria could see a lighthouse.
The same lighthouse from Newport.
Samuel's expression changed.
"He's broadcasting from somewhere near the coast.""
Victoria looked toward Veronica.
"He's been using this house as a decoy.""
Veronica nodded slowly.
"And my mother is probably still at the hospital.""
Then a telephone rang in the foyer.
An old landline.
Victoria answered.
A man's voice whispered:
"Victoria, don't trust Samuel.""
She froze.
"Who is this?""
The voice answered:
"It's Richard.""
Victoria looked toward the driveway.
Her father's former business partner was supposed to be under police protection in Newport.
"Richard, where are you?""
A pause.
Then he whispered:
"Robert didn't kidnap Margaret.""
Victoria's blood ran cold.
"Who did?""
Richard's answer was almost inaudible.
May you like
"Your mother arranged it herself.""
The line went dead.
