Chapter 5: Locker 317
I called the police first.
Then I deleted the call from my recent list.
Not because I trusted my parents.
Because Arthur had taught me to understand leverage.
If they wanted the notebooks, they couldn't simply kill me.
They needed something.
I put copies of every journal onto an encrypted drive.
Then I wrapped the originals in a plastic storage bin.
I didn't bring either.
Instead, I took an empty suitcase.
At Locker 317, the bank lobby was closed.
A side entrance stood open.
Daniel was sitting on a chair inside the vault corridor.
His hands were tied.
Two men stood behind him.
My father stepped forward.
Mom stood beside him.
Claire was there too.
I looked at my sister.
“You're part of this?””
Claire looked away.
Dad smiled.
“Family reunion.””
I dropped the suitcase.
“Let him go.””
Mom walked toward me.
“You always had Arthur’s stubbornness.””
“You always had excuses.””
Her smile disappeared.
Dad pointed to the suitcase.
“Open it.””
I did.
Empty.
The two men exchanged glances.
Dad's face reddened.
“You think this is funny?””
“No.””
I looked at Daniel.
“Do you?””
Daniel's mouth twitched.
My father lifted a gun.
“You have ten seconds.””
I raised my hands.
“Then ask yourself why Grandpa would leave me a key to this bank.””
Dad froze.
Mom looked at him.
“What key?””
I smiled.
“Exactly.””
I hadn't brought a key.
Because I didn't need one.
Daniel suddenly kicked the chair backward.
It hit the man behind him.
The hallway erupted.
I grabbed Claire and pulled her behind a concrete pillar.
Gunfire cracked through the vault.
Daniel rolled, seized the fallen man's weapon, and fired toward the ceiling.
“Drop it!””
Everyone froze.
Security alarms began screaming.
My father ran.
Mom followed.
Claire stood beside me, shaking.
“What have you done?””
I stared at her.
“What have we done?””
“You think you know everything.””
“Then tell me.””
She hesitated.
“Dad wasn't supposed to leave you.””
That sentence hit harder than any weapon.
“Explain.””
Claire wiped her eyes.
“You were supposed to go with him.””
“What?””
“He told me once.””
Her voice shook.
“He said you were supposed to disappear with them.””
My chest tightened.
“Why?””
“I don't know.””
“You know something.””
She looked toward the exit.
“Mom found out before you were born.””
“Found out what?””
Claire whispered,
“That Arthur wasn't your grandfather.””
I stopped breathing.
Daniel looked at me from across the vault.
Then he said quietly,
“She's lying.””
Claire turned toward him.
“How would you know?””
“Because I was there the night Arthur took a DNA test.””
I stared at Daniel.
“What are you saying?””
He walked toward me.
“Arthur was your biological grandfather.””
Claire shook her head.
“No.””
Daniel pulled a document from his coat.
A genetic test.
Arthur Hale.
Lucas Hale.
Probability of grandparentage: *99.98%.*
I stared at it.
Then I looked at Claire.
She was crying.
“Then why did they abandon me?””
Daniel's expression darkened.
“Because the truth wasn't about who your father was.””
He opened another document.
My mother's name.
My father's name.
And another name.
*Elias Vance.*
I recognized it from nothing.
Daniel said, “Your father believed Elias was coming for you.””
“Who is Elias?””
Daniel handed me the file.
“Your parents were involved in a company called Vance Logistics before you were born.””
I read the next line.
*Arthur discovered fraudulent transfers exceeding $14 million.*
I looked up.
“My father stole money?””
“Your father helped.””
“And my mother?””
“She knew.””
Claire whispered, “They were afraid.””
“Of Elias?””
Daniel nodded.
“He was their boss.””
A noise sounded from the stairwell.
Footsteps.
Heavy.
Slow.
Daniel's face went pale.
“That's him.””
“Who?””
He looked toward the door.
“Elias Vance.””
The lights went out.
May you like
Then a man's voice echoed through the darkness.
“Arthur always did love leaving unfinished business.””
