Chapter 6: My Mother Called Me by My Childhood Name
We emerged from the ventilation passage into an unused maintenance corridor.
Richard was breathing heavily.
I was clutching the blue ledger against my chest.
"Who was that man?"" I whispered.
Richard shook his head.
"One of Vanessa's private security contractors.""
"How long has she had people working below the building?""
"Longer than you think.""
We hurried toward the emergency stairwell.
My phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Who is this?""
For three seconds, there was silence.
Then a woman's voice spoke.
"Marcus?""
I stopped walking.
I knew that voice.
I had heard it in childhood photographs, old home videos, and dreams I could never quite remember.
"Who is this?""
A soft breath.
Then:
"It's Mom.""
The corridor seemed to tilt.
Richard looked at me.
I couldn't speak.
The woman continued.
"Marcus, please don't hang up.""
I closed my eyes.
"You're dead.""
"I know what your father told you.""
"Eleven years. Eleven years, and you never called.""
"I wanted to.""
"Then why didn't you?""
Her voice trembled.
"Because I was afraid.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You were afraid? I buried you.""
"I know.""
"No, you don't know. You weren't there when Dad told me you were gone. You weren't there when I stood beside an empty casket. You weren't there when he died.""
Silence.
Then she whispered:
"I know about your father.""
My anger sharpened.
"Did you kill him?""
"No.""
"Did you help Vanessa?""
Another silence.
"Marcus, listen to me. Vanessa is not the person you need to fear most.""
I looked at Richard.
"Then who?""
My mother's answer came quietly.
"Me.""
The call disconnected.
I stared at the phone.
Richard stepped closer.
"What did she say?""
I slipped the phone into my pocket.
"She wants to meet.""
"Don't.""
I turned.
"You've spent eleven years hiding the truth from me. You don't get to decide who I speak to now.""
"Marcus, your mother is dangerous.""
"So is everyone else in this building.""
I walked toward the stairwell.
Richard followed.
"Where are you going?""
"To find out why my mother pretended to be dead.""
Two hours later, I was sitting in a private dining room at an old hotel downtown.
The room was quiet.
Heavy curtains covered the windows. A fire crackled in the fireplace, and a glass of untouched water sat in front of me.
I had brought the blue ledger.
I had also brought a small recording device.
At exactly seven fifteen, the door opened.
A woman entered.
She wore a black coat, dark trousers, and a simple silver necklace.
Her hair was shorter than I remembered.
There were lines around her eyes.
But I recognized her immediately.
My mother.
She stopped when she saw me.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then she whispered:
"My little lion.""
I stood so quickly that my chair scraped against the floor.
"Don't call me that.""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I'm sorry.""
I stared at her.
"You look exactly the same.""
She gave a sad smile.
"You don't.""
"That's what happens when someone grows up without their mother.""
She sat down slowly.
I remained standing.
"Why did you leave?""
She folded her hands.
"Your father discovered that the company was being used to move money for a private network. The people behind it had connections everywhere. When I tried to expose them, they threatened you.""
"So you disappeared.""
"I believed it was the only way to keep you safe.""
"You could have told me.""
"I couldn't.""
"You could have called.""
"I was being watched.""
"You could have written.""
She looked down.
"I did.""
My anger faltered.
"What?""
"I wrote to you dozens of times. Your father intercepted the letters.""
I shook my head.
"That's not true.""
"He was trying to protect you.""
"By making me believe my mother was dead?""
She reached into her handbag and removed a small photograph.
It showed me at seventeen, standing outside my school.
I remembered that day.
My father had told me he was attending a business meeting.
My mother placed the photograph on the table.
"I was there.""
I stared at it.
"I watched you from across the street. You were laughing with your friends. I wanted to run over and hold you.""
She wiped her cheek.
"But I couldn't.""
I sat down.
Not because I had forgiven her.
Because my legs had stopped feeling steady.
"Tell me about Meridian Holdings.""
Her expression changed.
The sadness disappeared.
"I created it.""
"Why?""
"To collect evidence against the people controlling the financial network.""
"Then why does the ledger list you as its owner?""
"Because I was.""
I leaned forward.
"Twenty-three million dollars went missing from Carter Global.""
"That was only the beginning.""
"Where did it go?""
"Through Meridian. Then into a series of accounts controlled by someone inside the company.""
"Vanessa?""
My mother shook her head.
"Vanessa is a manager. A useful one, but still a manager.""
"Then who?""
She looked directly at me.
"The person who signed the original agreements. The person who arranged your father's final meeting. The person who made sure the investigation into his death went nowhere.""
I waited.
My mother reached into her handbag again.
This time, she removed a folded document.
It was a copy of an old contract.
The signature at the bottom belonged to Richard Hale.
I frowned.
"Richard?""
"He helped your father investigate the network. But he also helped them build it.""
I pushed the document away.
"You're telling me Richard is responsible for Dad's death?""
"I'm telling you that Richard has been lying to you from the beginning.""
I stood.
"Why should I believe you?""
"Because I have something you need to see.""
She removed a small black USB drive.
"Your father's final recording.""
"I already have a recording.""
"No. You have the recording he made for Richard.""
She placed the USB on the table.
"This one was made three hours before he died.""
I picked it up.
"What's on it?""
My mother looked at me with an expression I couldn't understand.
"Your father telling the truth about the night he was murdered.""
I stared at the drive.
Then I looked at her.
"Why didn't you give this to the police?""
"Because the police were already involved.""
"Involved how?""
She leaned closer.
"Marcus, the detective who signed your father's death certificate was being paid by the same people who controlled Meridian.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
Before I could respond, my phone vibrated.
An email notification.
From Richard Hale.
Subject: *PLEASE LISTEN BEFORE YOU TRUST HER.*
There was one attachment.
A photograph.
It showed my mother standing beside a man outside a private airport.
The date was three weeks ago.
The man was Richard.
I slowly raised my eyes.
My mother was watching me.
"What's wrong?"" she asked.
I turned the phone toward her.
Her face changed.
Then she reached across the table and grabbed my wrist.
"Marcus, you need to leave. Now.""
"Why?""
She looked toward the door.
"Because Richard knows we're here.""
A loud knock interrupted us.
Then a man's voice came from the other side.
"Police. Open the door.""
My mother stood.
I looked at her.
"Are they here for you?""
She shook her head.
"No.""
Her eyes moved toward the blue ledger on the table.
"They're here for you.""
The door handle began to turn.
And my mother whispered the one thing I never expected to hear.
"Your father didn't leave you the company, Marcus.""
May you like
She stepped between me and the door.
"He left you as bait.""
