Chapter 57: What Only He Knew

Nobody spoke for several seconds.

The paramedics closed the body bag.

Rain continued falling across the terrace.

The undercover guard had died without anyone even knowing his real identity.

"What's his name?" Victor finally asked.

Arthur looked down at his phone.

"Officer Daniel Cross."

"Assigned to Detective Samuel Briggs nearly four years ago."

"Officially, he resigned from the police eighteen months back."

"Unofficially... he never stopped working."

Victor's expression hardened.

"He was Briggs' insurance policy."

"And now he's dead."

The stretcher carrying Damien paused before reaching the ambulance.

"Search him," Damien said weakly.

"The guard."

"If Briggs trusted him... he was carrying something."

Victor nodded.

"Arthur."

"With me."

The ballroom had already been sealed.

Crime-scene investigators moved carefully around the stage.

Daniel Cross's body remained where he had fallen.

A single bullet wound marked the centre of his chest.

No wallet.

No identification.

Only a simple black suit.

"Professional," Victor murmured.

"No personal effects."

Arthur carefully searched the inside lining of the jacket.

Nothing.

Then his fingers stopped.

"Hidden pocket."

He carefully opened the stitched compartment.

Inside rested a tiny silver key.

And a folded photograph.

Victor unfolded the picture first.

It showed Detective Briggs.

Daniel Cross.

Nathaniel.

And...

My breath caught.

"My brother knew him," I whispered.

"Long before the accident."

Nathaniel stood beside Daniel with one arm across his shoulder.

Both were smiling.

The photograph had been taken years earlier.

Before everything collapsed.

Arthur turned the picture over.

Nathaniel had written a single sentence.

"If Daniel speaks, believe him."

Victor slowly looked toward the body.

"He never got the chance."

Arthur held up the silver key.

"Locker number engraved."

"E-19."

"No location."

"We'll find it later," Victor replied.

"First we finish here."

Rose hurried across the ballroom.

"Mrs. Eleanor is awake."

"She's asking for Vivian."

"Only Vivian."

Victor looked at me.

"Go."

"We'll stay here."

I found Eleanor inside the estate's medical room.

A doctor examined a bruise along her wrist.

She dismissed him the moment I entered.

Neither of us spoke until the door closed.

"He came back," she whispered.

"Who?"

"The boy."

"The one with the birthmark."

"You saw his face?"

She nodded slowly.

"Only for a second."

"He's older now... but I'd know those eyes anywhere."

"What did he want?"

Tears gathered in her eyes.

"Not the diamond."

"Not the money."

"He asked me one question."

"What question?"

She looked directly at me.

"He asked..."

"Why did you let them bury my name?"

Silence filled the room.

Eleanor's hands trembled uncontrollably.

"Then he told me something I'll never forget."

"What?"

"He said Richard didn't steal one child."

"He stole two lives."

Before I could ask another question, Victor entered.

"Vivian... we found something else."

He placed Daniel Cross's phone on the bedside table.

"It survived the shooting."

"Locked?" I asked.

"Was."

"Arthur got inside."

"Anything useful?"

"One video."

"Recorded yesterday morning."

Arthur joined us carrying his laptop.

"You should all watch this together."

He pressed play.

Daniel Cross appeared on screen.

He looked exhausted.

A bandage covered his left shoulder.

"If you're seeing this..."

"Then Briggs has disappeared."

"Or I'm already dead."

He took a deep breath.

"Nathaniel was right."

"The crash wasn't an accident."

"But that's not the biggest lie."

"The biggest lie began twenty-nine years ago."

"I've spent three years protecting one witness."

"Only one person knows where that witness is."

"Not Briggs."

"Not Victor."

"Not Damien."

"Only me."

He reached into his pocket.

Holding up an old Polaroid photograph.

"This is the only picture ever taken after the child disappeared."

"I've hidden the original where nobody would think to search."

"If I die... find Locker E-19."

"Everything starts there."

The video ended.

Nobody spoke.

Victor picked up the small silver key.

"E-19," he repeated.

"That's what this opens."

"Then we go tonight," Damien said from the doorway.

Everyone turned.

He had left the ambulance against medical advice.

A bandage wrapped around his forehead.

His left arm rested in a sling.

"You should be in hospital," I said.

"Later."

"Right now..."

He looked at the silver key.

"We're finally chasing something Nathaniel wanted us to find."

Arthur's phone suddenly rang.

Unknown number.

He answered on speaker.

No voice.

Only slow breathing.

Then one sentence.

"You're already too late."

The line disconnected.

Seconds later Arthur's laptop emitted a warning tone.

"Victor..."

"Someone just accessed Locker E-19."

"Six minutes ago."