They climbed inside.
The basement smelled of damp wood.
A single table stood in the middle.
On it were dozens of photographs.
Caleb picked one up.
His mother.
Another.
His father.
Another.
Samuel Mercer.
And another.
Martin.
The photographs were arranged chronologically.
Caleb stared.
“He was watching them.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Maybe protecting them.”
“After what we found?”
“I don't know.”
They searched the room.
There were boxes labeled with years.
Caleb opened the 1999 box.
Inside were letters.
Most were addressed to Martin.
Some were from Samuel.
One was from Teresa.
Caleb opened it.
Martin,
I know you think you're helping.
But every time you move money for Samuel, you make things more dangerous.
Michael knows.
He wants to tell the police.
Please stop.
Caleb's hands trembled.
Another page followed.
If you truly want to help us, destroy the records.
Don't keep copies.
Don't let Holloway find them.
Caleb looked at Daniel.
“He kept copies.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Daniel looked at the boxes.
“Maybe because he didn't trust himself.”
A sound came from upstairs.
Both men froze.
Footsteps.
Someone was inside.
Caleb put the letter into his pocket.
Daniel switched off the flashlight.
They waited.
The footsteps came down the stairs.
A shadow appeared.
Then a voice.
“You shouldn't have come here.”
Martin.
Caleb stepped forward.
“You betrayed my mother.”
Martin closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Daniel stared.
“You admit it?”
“I do.”
“Why?”
Martin looked at Caleb.
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of Holloway?”
“Yes.”
“You stole money?”
“Yes.”
“You lied to my mother?”
“Yes.”
“You put her life in danger?”
Martin lowered his head.
“Yes.”
Caleb's fists tightened.
“You knew my father was going to expose Holloway.”
“Yes.”
“And you stopped him?”
Martin's voice broke.
“No.”
“Then what did you do?”
“I told Holloway.”
Silence.
Caleb looked as if someone had struck him.
“You told him?”
“I thought he would scare Michael. I didn't know he would kill him.”
Daniel stepped between them.
“You knew Michael was in danger.”
“I knew.”
“And you still told him.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Holloway had my family.”
Martin's eyes filled with tears.
“My daughter was seventeen. He threatened to hurt her.”
Daniel remembered Eleanor.
“You were protecting her.”
“I thought I was.”
Caleb stared at him.
“You sacrificed my father to save your daughter.”
Martin nodded.
“I have lived with that every day since.”
Caleb looked away.
“You should have told me.”
“I was ashamed.”
“That's not an excuse.”
“I know.”
Martin walked toward the table.
“I have one thing left to show you.”
He picked up a small wooden box.
Inside was a cassette tape.
Caleb frowned.
“What is that?”
“Your mother.”
“My mother?”
“She recorded this before she left.”
“Why?”
“She knew she might never return.”
Martin handed him the tape.
“She asked me to give it to you when you were old enough to understand.”
Caleb stared at it.
“Why now?”
“Because you found the ledger.”
Martin took a deep breath.
“And because Jonathan Holloway knows about it.”
Caleb looked up.
“What does he want?”
Martin answered:
“The final page.”
Daniel asked:
“What is on it?”
Martin's expression changed.
“Proof that Jonathan's father didn't act alone.”
“Who helped him?”
Martin looked directly at Daniel.
“Your father.”
Daniel froze.
“No.”
“Samuel wasn't a criminal,” Martin said. “But he made one terrible mistake.”
“What?”
“He trusted Michael Reed.”
Caleb stared.
“My father?”
Martin nodded.
“Michael took money from the fund.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
“He intended to return it.”
“Then why?”
“Because he believed Holloway was going to destroy the fund.”
Caleb's face tightened.
“So my father stole money?”
“Temporarily.”
“That's not what the ledger says.”
“The ledger doesn't contain the whole story.”
Martin pointed at the old cassette.
“Your mother does.”
Chapter 11
The Voice on the Tape
They returned to the bakery before dawn.
The old cassette player was still in Daniel's office.
He had not used it in years.
He found a box of batteries and inserted them.
Caleb held the tape.
His hand shook.
“I don't know if I can do this.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You don't have to.”
“Yes, I do.”
He inserted the cassette.
The machine clicked.
Static filled the room.
Then a woman's voice emerged.
Caleb stopped breathing.
“Caleb.”
His mother's voice.
Older than he remembered.
Tired.
But unmistakable.
“If you're hearing this, then you're probably old enough to understand why I kept so many things from you.”
Caleb closed his eyes.
Teresa continued.
“I want you to know one thing first.”
A pause.