Chapter 7 - MY SISTER'S LAST CHOICE
For a moment, I couldn't understand what I was seeing.
Della held the second black key between two fingers.
Thomas smiled.
“You were always the smarter one.”
Della's hand trembled.
“Leave them alone.”
“You know the agreement.”
“I know.”
“You promised.”
“I promised because you threatened my daughter.”
Thomas's smile disappeared.
“Careful.”
Della looked at me.
“I never wanted this.”
I stared at her.
“You had another key?”
“Yes.”
“Since when?”
“Years.”
My mother looked devastated.
“How?”
“Dad gave it to me.”
I felt betrayed all over again.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because he told me not to.”
“You could have.”
“I was scared.”
“You keep saying that.”
“I know.”
Thomas stepped forward.
“Enough family drama.”
He extended his hand.
“Give me the key.”
Della looked at it.
Then at me.
Then at Pearl.
She slowly raised the key.
Thomas smiled.
But instead of handing it to him, Della threw it across the room.
It struck the stone wall.
Thomas's face changed.
“You stupid girl.”
His men moved forward.
Della ran toward us.
I grabbed her.
“What did you do?”
“I bought us time.”
The men advanced.
I pushed a metal shelf over.
It crashed across the passage.
“Run!”
We moved deeper into the vault.
Pearl stayed between me and my mother.
Eleanor pointed toward another door.
“Through there!”
We ran.
The door opened into a second chamber.
It was much smaller.
There was an old desk.
A radio.
And a single monitor.
I shut the door.
Thomas's men hit it from outside.
Pearl began crying.
I knelt beside her.
“It's okay.”
“Are they going to hurt us?”
“No.”
I didn't know if that was true.
But she needed to hear it.
I turned on the radio.
Static.
Then a voice.
My father's.
“Wade.”
I froze.
“Dad?”
The radio crackled.
“If you're hearing this, the second key has been found.”
Della stared.
My father continued.
“Do not trust Thomas.”
I looked at Della.
She whispered:
“I told you.”
The radio continued.
“The vault is designed to close if both keys are activated.”
“What does that mean?”
The answer came.
“Anyone trapped inside without authorization will be locked in.”
I looked at the door.
Thomas's men were still trying to break through.
I searched the room.
There was a control panel.
Two keyholes.
One black.
One empty.
I looked at Della.
“Give me the key.”
She pulled it from her pocket.
I inserted it.
Nothing happened.
Then Pearl spoke.
“Dad.”
“What?”
She pointed toward the desk.
“There's another hole.”
I looked.
A tiny circular opening.
I touched it.
The bracelet on my wrist vibrated.
I removed it.
The stone fit perfectly.
I pressed it.
The entire room came alive.
Lights.
Screens.
Locks.
The vault door slammed shut.
The pounding stopped.
Thomas shouted from outside.
“Wade!”
I stared at the monitor.
A video started.
My father appeared.
He looked directly at the camera.
“If you've activated the vault, then the family has reached the final stage.”
He paused.
“Pearl must choose.”
My daughter looked at the screen.
“Choose what?”
My father continued.
“The reserve contains enough wealth to change the future of everyone who owns a claim.”
“But it also contains evidence powerful people will kill to destroy.”
He looked serious.
“The person who controls the reserve controls the evidence.”
I felt cold.
Then he said:
“Pearl is the legal beneficiary.”
My daughter didn't understand.
“She is nine.”
“She doesn't need to understand yet.”
My father continued.
“That is why the trust has a guardian.”
A name appeared.
WADE CARTER.
I stared.
“Me.”
My mother smiled through tears.
“Your father trusted you.”
The video continued.
“Wade, if you're seeing this, I need you to do one thing.”
I leaned closer.
“Protect Pearl.”
The screen changed.
A second name appeared.
THOMAS HALE — PRIMARY THREAT.
Then:
VICTOR HALE — SECONDARY THREAT.
Then:
CARMEN CARTER — COMPROMISED.
Then:
DELLA CARTER — PROTECTED WITNESS.
Della began crying.
My father had known.
He had known Della was being threatened.
The video continued.
“Della, if you're hearing this, I know why you did what you did.”
Della covered her mouth.
“You were never the enemy.”
She began sobbing.
“You were the person I hoped would eventually choose your family.”
Della whispered:
“He knew.”
I put my hand on her shoulder.
Then the video changed.
A photograph appeared.
A man I didn't recognize.
My father said:
“Thomas is not the mastermind.”
I stared.
“Who is?”
My father looked directly into the camera.
“The mastermind is the person who currently controls the bank.”
The screen displayed a name.
JONATHAN REED.
My mother gasped.
“The bank president.”
My father nodded on the recording.
“Jonathan has controlled the trust accounts for twenty years.”
I felt sick.
“So he stole from us.”
“Not exactly.”
The video showed financial records.
“He redirected funds.”
“To Victor.”
“To Thomas.”
“To politicians.”
“To anyone who could help him maintain control.”
I looked at Della.
“Then Victor was just another pawn.”
“Yes.”
My father continued:
“Thomas believes he controls the operation.”
“But he doesn't.”
“Jonathan does.”
Suddenly the vault door opened.
We all froze.
Thomas stood outside.
He was alone.
He looked at me.
“Your father always loved his riddles.”
I stepped back.
“How did you open the door?”
Thomas smiled.
“I didn't.”
He pointed behind me.
I turned.
The second door was open.
A man in an expensive black suit stood there.
Jonathan Reed.
He smiled.
“Hello, Wade.”
My father's voice suddenly returned through the speakers.
“Now you know who to fear.”
Jonathan looked at the ceiling.
Then back at me.
“You've caused me a great deal of trouble.”
May you like
He looked at Pearl.
“But she can fix everything.”
