Chapter 6: The Night the Hawthorne Name Nearly Died
Emergency lighting flickered on.
Arthur turned toward the vault entrance.
The electronic lock displayed a red warning.
*MANUAL OVERRIDE ACTIVATED.*
Maya immediately moved toward the control panel.
"Everyone away from the door.""
Detective Collins raised his flashlight.
"Can you open it?""
"Not from here.""
"Why?""
"Because whoever locked us in has control of the external security system.""
Arthur examined the walls.
"There's another exit.""
Maya looked at him.
"Where?""
"Behind the eastern cabinet. My father showed it to me when I was a child.""
He pushed aside a heavy steel shelf.
Behind it was a narrow service passage.
A small ventilation light glowed above the entrance.
Arthur pulled the handle.
It didn't move.
Maya crouched and examined the mechanism.
"There's a secondary bolt.""
She reached into her pocket and removed a small multitool.
Arthur stared.
"Why do you carry that?""
"Because people who work around wealthy families learn that expensive locks don't always mean safe buildings.""
She loosened the outer plate.
A moment later, the mechanism clicked.
The passage opened.
Detective Collins looked at Arthur.
"How long does this tunnel go?""
"To the old service courtyard.""
"Then we're leaving.""
Arthur grabbed the notebook.
Maya retrieved the phone.
They moved through the narrow passage, stepping over cables and old maintenance pipes.
Behind them, a loud metallic impact shook the vault door.
Someone was trying to force it open.
They emerged into the courtyard several minutes later.
Cold night air struck Arthur's face.
Police officers surrounded the building.
One of them rushed toward Collins.
"Detective! We lost communication with the command center.""
Collins frowned.
"What do you mean?""
"Every camera feed has gone offline.""
Arthur looked toward the main house.
The lights were on.
But something was wrong.
A black vehicle sat near the entrance.
Its headlights were off.
Maya noticed it too.
"That's the same model as the car Isabella was supposed to escape in.""
Arthur looked at the vehicle.
"Can you identify the plate?""
Maya shook her head.
Before anyone could approach it, the car suddenly accelerated.
Two officers shouted.
The vehicle reversed through the decorative hedge and disappeared onto the estate road.
Collins grabbed his radio.
"All units, intercept the black sedan!""
Arthur watched the taillights vanish.
Then he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"Arthur!""
Daniel came running from the main house.
His jacket was torn.
A small cut marked his forehead.
Arthur stepped toward him.
"What are you doing here?""
Daniel looked at the police officers.
"Someone attacked the security office.""
"Who?""
"I don't know. Two men. They disabled the cameras and took the access codes.""
Arthur stared at him.
"You were in the security office?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because I was trying to help.""
Arthur pulled the notebook from his coat.
He opened it to the page containing Daniel's name.
"Then explain this.""
Daniel glanced at the document.
His expression collapsed.
For a moment, he looked almost ashamed.
Then his face hardened.
"You shouldn't have opened that notebook.""
Arthur felt something inside him break.
"Did my father pay you?""
Daniel looked away.
"Not everything is what it seems.""
"Did you spy on me?""
"Arthur—"
"Did you?""
Daniel swallowed.
"Yes.""
Arthur stepped backward.
"How long?""
"Before the yacht incident.""
"How long?""
"Almost two years.""
Arthur stared at him.
Two years.
Two years of dinners, phone calls, shared memories, and conversations about grief.
Daniel had watched him mourn his father while knowing the truth.
"Why?""
Daniel's eyes reddened.
"Because Edward had something on me.""
"What?""
"My younger brother.""
Arthur frowned.
Daniel looked toward the ground.
"Edward arranged his medical treatment when he was dying. He paid for everything. In exchange, he asked me to report on your father's activities.""
Arthur's expression hardened.
"Your brother died?""
Daniel nodded.
"Six months after the yacht explosion.""
"And you kept working for Edward?""
"I was afraid.""
Arthur shook his head.
"You could have told me.""
"Would you have believed me?""
"Yes!""
Daniel's voice broke.
"I don't think you would have.""
Maya stepped between them.
"That's enough.""
Arthur looked at her.
She pointed toward Daniel's right hand.
He was holding something small.
A black remote.
Maya's eyes narrowed.
"Put it down.""
Daniel looked at her.
"What?""
"The remote.""
He tightened his grip.
Arthur stared.
"What is that?""
Daniel didn't answer.
Maya moved closer.
"Is it connected to the estate security system?""
Daniel suddenly pressed the button.
A loud explosion erupted from the western wing.
Windows shattered.
Flames burst through the lower-level corridor.
Arthur ducked as glass scattered across the courtyard.
Police officers shouted.
"Fire!""
"Get everyone back!""
Maya grabbed Arthur's arm and pulled him behind a stone pillar.
Daniel ran toward the main entrance.
Arthur shouted after him.
"Daniel!""
But his friend disappeared into the smoke.
The fire department arrived within minutes.
The flames were eventually contained, but the damage was extensive.
The explosion had destroyed the electrical control room and part of the underground archive.
Arthur stood in the garden, watching firefighters carry equipment into the house.
Maya approached.
"Are you injured?""
He shook his head.
"Where's Daniel?""
"He's gone.""
Arthur stared at the burning building.
"He was my brother.""
Maya said nothing.
Arthur turned toward her.
"Do you understand what he did?""
"Yes.""
"He knew my father might be alive.""
"Yes.""
"He watched me bury an empty coffin.""
Maya lowered her eyes.
"Some people are very good at making fear look like loyalty.""
Arthur looked toward the hospital in the distance.
"I need to speak to my grandmother.""
At 2:35 a.m., Eleanor answered the phone from her hospital bed.
"Arthur?""
"Grandmother, we found the notebook.""
There was a long silence.
"Then you know.""
"About Daniel?""
"Yes.""
"About Edward?""
"Yes.""
"About my father?""
Eleanor exhaled.
"Yes.""
Arthur gripped the phone.
"Why did you let me believe he was dead?""
"I thought it was the only way to keep you safe.""
"You could have told me the truth.""
"Would you have stayed away from the investigation?""
Arthur said nothing.
Eleanor continued.
"Your father made me promise that if anything happened, I would protect you at all costs.""
"By lying?""
"By keeping you alive.""
Arthur's voice became cold.
"Then tell me about the yacht.""
Eleanor was silent for several seconds.
Finally, she spoke.
"Your father had discovered that Edward was selling confidential shipping information to a foreign competitor. He was preparing to expose him.""
"And you knew?""
"I knew he was in danger.""
"Did you know Edward planned to kill him?""
"No.""
Arthur looked through the hospital window.
"Then why did Dad accuse you?""
Eleanor's voice trembled.
"Because I made a terrible decision.""
"What decision?""
"I gave Edward access to the yacht's security schedule.""
Arthur froze.
"You did what?""
"I thought he was going to arrange a meeting with your father. I didn't know he had hired men to sabotage the vessel.""
Arthur felt sick.
"Grandmother...""
"I have regretted it every day.""
"Did you help him?""
"No.""
"Did you know Thomas survived?""
"Not until much later.""
"Then where is my father now?""
Eleanor began crying.
"I don't know.""
Arthur looked at Maya.
She was standing beside him, listening.
"Thomas told us he was with Dad.""
"Then perhaps he was.""
"Why did the call end?""
Eleanor's breathing changed.
"Because they found him.""
Arthur closed his eyes.
"Who?""
"Edward.""
A long silence followed.
Then Eleanor whispered:
"Arthur, there's something else.""
He waited.
"Your father wasn't the only person who disappeared from that yacht.""
Arthur frowned.
"What are you talking about?""
"Someone else was aboard that night.""
"Who?""
Eleanor's voice dropped.
"Your mother.""
Arthur stopped moving.
His mother had died when he was twelve.
At least, that was what he had always been told.
A car accident on a rainy evening.
A funeral.
A closed coffin.
A lifetime of memories.
"That's impossible.""
"Your mother had discovered the same financial crimes. She was trying to warn your father.""
Arthur's throat tightened.
"She died when I was twelve.""
Eleanor began sobbing.
"No, Arthur.""
The words came slowly.
"Your mother disappeared three months before the accident was reported.""
Arthur felt the room spin.
"Then whose funeral did we attend?""
Eleanor whispered:
"Someone Edward wanted you to believe was your mother.""
At 3:02 a.m., Arthur's phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
A photograph appeared.
It showed a woman sitting beside a window.
Her hair was darker than he remembered.
Her face was thinner.
But her eyes were unmistakable.
His mother's eyes.
Arthur stared at the screen.
Beneath the photograph was a message.
*Your father is looking for you. Your mother is waiting. But if you want to see either of them alive, bring the Hawthorne Star to Pier 19 before sunrise. Come alone.*
Maya read the message over his shoulder.
"Absolutely not.""
Arthur looked at her.
"They have my parents.""
"Or they're pretending to.""
"What if it's true?""
Maya took his phone.
She enlarged the photograph.
Then she examined the background.
A faint reflection appeared in the window.
A second person.
A man standing behind the woman.
Maya's face changed.
"Arthur.""
"What?""
She pointed to the reflection.
"Look at his left hand.""
Arthur leaned closer.
The man wore a distinctive silver ring.
A ring Arthur had seen thousands of times.
It belonged to Edward Blackwood.
Maya looked toward the window.
"He's not asking you to rescue your parents.""
Arthur's voice became barely audible.
"Then what does he want?""
Maya stared at the photograph.
"He wants to bring the entire Hawthorne family into one place.""
May you like
She handed the phone back.
"And I think he's planning to make sure none of you leave alive.""
