Victoria walked slowly along the wall.
There were photographs of her leaving Hale House.
Entering restaurants.
Attending charity events.
Speaking at conferences.
There were pictures of Lucy as a child.
At school.
At the park.
Walking beside Anna.
Victoria's heart tightened.
Someone had watched Lucy growing up.
A photograph of Lucy at age six was pinned beside one of Anna.
The date was written beneath it.
March 14.
Victoria turned toward Michael.
"Who did this?"
Michael didn't answer.
Lucy pointed to another wall.
"Look."
A large family tree was drawn across it.
At the top was a name.
EDMUND WHITMORE.
Below him were two branches.
One led to Evelyn Whitmore.
The other led to a man Victoria had never heard of.
Samuel Whitmore.
Victoria stared.
"My mother had a brother."
Michael nodded.
"Yes."
"Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Because Samuel wasn't supposed to exist."
Lucy stepped closer.
"Why?"
Michael pointed to a note.
The Whitmore inheritance was divided between two heirs.
Evelyn received half.
Samuel received the other half.
But Samuel disappeared before the trust was executed.
Victoria read the document.
"What happened to him?"
Michael looked at the photographs.
"He was killed."
"By whom?"
Michael pointed to the name beneath a photograph.
Richard Hale.
Victoria's father.
She stepped backward.
"No."
Michael nodded.
"Your father didn't just steal from Anna."
"He stole from the Whitmores."
"Yes."
"He killed his own brother-in-law?"
"Yes."
Victoria stared at the family tree.
The Hale fortune suddenly looked different.
It had not been built through business.
It had been built through theft.
Every generation had inherited money that was never theirs.
Every mansion.
Every company.
Every investment.
Every foundation.
All of it had been contaminated by one secret.
Lucy whispered,
"Then none of this belongs to us."
Victoria looked at her.
"You're right."
Lucy frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"If the money was stolen, we return it."
Michael looked at Victoria.
"That could destroy Hale House."
"It already destroyed our family."
Victoria touched the family tree.
"I don't want to protect it anymore."
Lucy stared at her.
"What will you do?"
Victoria looked toward the corridor.
"Find out how deep it goes."
The next room contained ledgers.
Hundreds of them.
Victoria opened one.
Bank transfers.
Payments.
Names.
Dates.
Amounts.
She recognized several companies.
Some still existed.
Others had disappeared.
The oldest entries dated back to 1961.
Michael looked over her shoulder.
"Look at this."
A series of payments went to a Swiss account.
The recipient's name was hidden.
But the initials were clear.
J.H.
Jonathan Hale.
Victoria stared.
"Jonathan received money."
"Yes."
"Then he was involved."
Michael nodded.
"But not in the way you think."
"What does that mean?"
"He was paid to disappear."
Victoria looked at him.
"By whom?"
"Your father."
"Why?"
Michael pulled another document from the box.
"Because Jonathan knew about Samuel."
Victoria's face changed.
"So Jonathan was a witness."
"Yes."
"Then why did he help?"
"Because Richard threatened his family."
"What family?"
Michael looked at her.
"His wife."
Victoria searched the files.
A photograph appeared.
A young woman stood beside Jonathan.
Her name was Rebecca.
Victoria stared.
"She's dead."
Michael shook his head.
"Maybe."
"What do you mean?"
"Nobody knows."
Lucy found another document.
A missing-person report.
Rebecca Hale.
Disappeared in 1974.
Victoria's eyes widened.
"Jonathan lost his wife too."
Michael nodded.
"And that's why he became obsessed."
"With what?"
"Finding the people responsible."
Victoria looked at the photographs.
"Then why did he stay across from Hale House?"
Michael answered,
"Because he believed the evidence was still here."
Lucy looked around.
"The evidence was under the house."
"Yes."
"Then why didn't he take it?"
Michael looked toward the ceiling.
"Because he couldn't."
"Why?"
"Because the final door requires three keys."
Lucy held the three pieces of the locket.
"Three children."
Michael nodded.
"Exactly."
Victoria suddenly understood.
"The locket wasn't meant to identify the family."
"No."
"It was designed to open this place."
"Yes."
Lucy looked at the pieces.
"Mom knew."
Michael smiled sadly.
"Mom knew everything."
Victoria felt tears form.
"Then why didn't she come back?"
Michael's expression changed.
"Because she tried."
He reached into another box.
Inside was a stack of letters.
All addressed to Victoria.
All returned.
All unopened.
Victoria picked up the first.
The envelope had been stamped:
RETURN TO SENDER.
She opened it.
Vicky,
I came to Charleston today.
I stood outside Hale House.
I saw you through the window.
I wanted to knock.
But there was a man watching me.
I left.
The next letter:
Vicky,
Lucy is growing.
She asks about you.
I told her you were kind.
She asked why you never came.
I didn't know how to explain that I was trying to keep her alive.
Another:
Vicky,
Daniel is gone.
I know what they did.
I cannot prove it.
But I know.
Another:
Vicky,
Michael is alive.
I need to hide him.
Another:
Vicky,
There is another child.
I cannot find her.
Victoria stopped.
She looked at Michael.
"Another child?"
He nodded.
"Lily."
"She was born before you."
Michael looked away.
"Yes."
"Where was she?"
"We don't know."
Lucy stepped closer.
"How many children did Mom have?"
Michael answered softly.
"Three."
Victoria looked at the family tree.
"Lucy."
"Yes."
"Michael."
"Yes."
"Lily."
"Yes."
Victoria whispered,
"Three children."
Then she noticed something.
The family tree showed four branches.
She pointed.
"Who's that?"
Michael went silent.
At the far right was another name.
ANNA.
Below it was a question mark.
Lucy looked confused.