Chapter 6 - THE HOUSE BY THE OCEAN|
My mother's house sat on a narrow stretch of the Rhode Island coast, surrounded by weathered cedar trees and the kind of silence she had always loved.
It was the first home she had purchased after leaving my father.
It was also the one place I had promised would never become part of my business conflicts.
Now her security system was down, her phone was unanswered, and nobody knew where she was.
I called the local police while Naomi coordinated with the property manager.
Then I called my mother's closest friend, Helen Prescott, who lived fifteen minutes away.
Helen answered on the second ring.
“Adrian, I've been trying to reach you.”
My stomach tightened.
“Have you seen Mom?”
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes.
“Where is she?”
“She's sitting in my kitchen, and she's furious with you.”
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Then a sound escaped me that was half laughter and half relief.
“Put her on.”
My mother's voice came through immediately.
“Adrian Alexander Vale, why have six different people called to ask whether I've been kidnapped?”
“Because your cameras are down and you weren't answering your phone.”
“I turned my phone off.”
“Why?”
“Because someone had been calling from blocked numbers all morning.”
I rubbed my forehead.
“Mom, please tell me what's going on.”
Her voice changed.
“Clara told you.”
“Yes.”
A long silence followed.
“Then you need to come here.”
I wanted to remain beside Clara.
But when I returned to her room and explained what had happened, she gave me a look that reminded me exactly why I had married her.
“Go find out what Mom knows.”
“I don't want to leave you.”
“Adrian, I'm surrounded by doctors, and Naomi has more security outside this room than the president.”
Despite everything, she managed a faint smile.
“Besides, your mother scares people more effectively than you do.”
I kissed her forehead.
“I'll come back.”
“I know.”
Then she caught my hand.
“Promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“Don't become like my father.”
The request struck me harder than any accusation could have.
I lowered myself beside her.
“I promise.”
Three hours later, I walked into Helen Prescott's kitchen.
My mother stood beside the window wearing a navy cardigan, holding a cup of tea.
She looked completely unharmed.
I hugged her so tightly she complained about her ribs.
Then she pointed toward a leather briefcase on the table.
“Clara brought that to me four days ago.”
Inside were account summaries, corporate records, photographs, handwritten notes, and a small digital storage device.
The documents described years of suspicious transactions involving Mercer-owned companies, charitable organizations, and public contracts.
Some appeared to connect Silas to shell corporations that had financed illegal operations.
Others suggested payments had been made to officials who helped the family avoid scrutiny.
I looked up at my mother.
“How long have you known?”
“About Clara's investigation?”
“Yes.”
“Four days.”
“About Evelyn?”
She stared into her tea.
“Much longer.”
I felt the room go cold.
“How much longer?”
My mother slowly sat down.
“Adrian, before I married your father, Evelyn Mercer was my closest friend.”
I could only stare.
“She called me the night before her supposed accident.”
“What did she say?”
My mother folded her hands.
“She told me Silas had found out she was preparing to leave him.”
I waited.
“She said if anything happened, I should remember that Elise existed.”
“Why didn't you tell anyone?”
“Because Evelyn called again three days later.”
My mother looked at me with tears in her eyes.
“She told me she was alive, but if I tried to find her, Silas would take Clara away from her forever.”
I stood speechless.
Then my mother's phone rang.
The caller ID displayed an unfamiliar Connecticut number.
She answered on speaker.
A woman's voice whispered two words.
“Margaret, please.”
My mother went pale.
“Evelyn?”
The woman began to cry.
And then a second voice entered the call.
A younger woman spoke with frightening calm.
“My name is Elise Mercer.”
May you like
She paused.
“If you want to save Clara, you need to know what Silas plans to do next.”
