Chapter 7 - The WitnessMy mother had not just known about the Voss family.
She had been investigating them.
She had tried to protect Claire.
And she had failed.
But why had she never told me?
Detective Morgan contacted the prosecutor immediately.
The original witness statement became critical evidence.
Then another document surfaced.
A bank transfer from Richard to the detective who handled Claire's death.
Money paid two days before the case was closed.
The detective was still alive.
Living under a new name.
In another state.
The prosecutor issued a warrant.
We thought the case was finally turning.
Then Helena disappeared.
She had been under surveillance.
At 7:32 that morning, her tracking device stopped moving.
At 8:05, police found her car abandoned.
At 8:40, they found Raul.
Dead.
One gunshot.
Inside a motel room.
The scene looked like suicide.
But Detective Morgan didn't believe it.
Neither did I.
"Someone is cleaning house."
Alex stood beside the hospital window.
"Who's next?"
Detective Morgan looked at me.
"Victor."
I suddenly felt cold.
Victor was supposed to be safe in jail.
But powerful people had ways of reaching people.
Hours later, Victor's attorney requested an emergency hearing.
The judge granted it.
Victor was transferred from the county jail to a secure detention facility.
Then came the call.
There had been an incident.
Victor had been attacked.
He survived.
But he refused medical treatment.
Detective Morgan visited him.
When he returned, he looked exhausted.
"What happened?"
Victor wanted to speak to me.
I laughed.
"No."
"He says he'll tell you everything."
"What does he want?"
"Protection."
"From whom?"
Detective Morgan paused.
"Richard."
I stared at him.
"Victor is afraid of his own family."
"Apparently."
"Then he knows more than we've found."
That night, against my better judgment, I agreed to speak to Victor.
The interview room was separated by glass.
He looked different.
Paler.
Smaller.
For the first time, he looked afraid.
I sat across from him.
"You have five minutes."
Victor stared at my stomach.
"Is she okay?"
"She's alive."
He closed his eyes.
"Good."
I hated myself for feeling relieved that he cared.
Then he whispered:
"I didn't know they would hurt you that badly."
My heart hardened.
"You gave them permission."
"I was trying to scare you."
"You nearly killed me."
"I know."
"Why?"
Victor stared at his hands.
"Because I was trapped."
I almost laughed.
"You were trapped?"
"Yes."
"By whom?"
He looked toward the camera.
Then he leaned closer.
"Richard."
"What does he have on you?"
Victor swallowed.
"Everything."
"Your mother?"
"My family."
"Claire?"
He looked away.
My stomach tightened.
"You were there."
Victor finally nodded.
"Yes."
"What happened?"
"I wasn't the one who killed her."
"Who did?"
Victor began to cry.
I had never seen him cry.
Not once.
"He did."
"Richard?"
Victor nodded.
"Claire found the books."
"What books?"
"The blue ledger."
I looked at Detective Morgan through the glass.
Victor continued.
"She tried to expose him."
"Why did you marry me?"
Victor stared at me.
"I didn't choose you."
Silence.
"What?"
"He chose you."
My blood went cold.
"Richard?"
Victor nodded.
"Your mother was investigating him. He wanted someone close to her family."
I couldn't breathe.
"You married me to spy on my mother?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you leave?"
Victor laughed bitterly.
"Because by the time I realized what Richard was, I was already part of it."
I stared at him.
"And my pregnancy?"
Victor looked at my stomach.
"That changed everything."
"How?"
He leaned closer.
"Because your baby inherited something Richard has been trying to find for twenty years."
"What?"
Victor glanced toward the camera.
May you like
Then he mouthed four words.
"Your mother's inheritance."
