Chapter 5 - What Elena Hid Before She Died
Victor had imagined finding Leo alive thousands of times.
Never like this.
Not through a photograph on Marcus's phone.
Not while Gregory sat twenty feet away in custody.
Not with the knowledge that his son had lived twelve years under another name.
They drove to Virginia.
Hannah insisted on returning to Poppy first.
Victor went with her.
When they entered Harrow Point, Poppy ran so fast she nearly fell.
"Mama!"
Hannah dropped to her knees.
Poppy crashed into her arms.
For several seconds Hannah could only hold her.
Victor turned away.
He remembered Leo running toward Elena exactly like that.
Then Poppy pulled back.
"Did Mr. Victor find you?"
Hannah looked at Victor.
"Yes."
Poppy smiled.
"He promised."
Three words.
That was all.
But they followed Victor all the way to Virginia.
Elliot Crane had lived with a couple named Thomas and Rebecca Crane.
They were frightened when Victor arrived.
Rebecca held a photograph against her chest.
"We didn't steal him."
Victor looked at her.
"I didn't say you did."
"A man brought him to us twelve years ago."
"Who?"
"We never knew his real name."
Thomas explained.
They had been trying to adopt.
A private intermediary offered them a child whose parents had supposedly died.
The paperwork looked legitimate.
Leo had been traumatized.
He remembered almost nothing clearly.
For months, he called himself "Lee."
Eventually he became Elliot.
"Did he ever ask about his childhood?" Victor asked.
Rebecca nodded.
"Constantly once he became a teenager."
"Why didn't you investigate?"
"We did."
She looked ashamed.
"The records led nowhere."
Victor softened.
These people had raised his son.
Whatever crime had happened, they were not the enemy.
"Why did he disappear?"
Thomas handed Victor a note.
I found someone who says he knows who I was before you. I need answers. I'll call when I understand.
Victor's heart sank.
"Delacroix."
Marcus nodded.
They searched Elliot's room.
Hannah noticed a map.
One location was circled.
Baltimore.
St. Agnes Parish.
Victor stared.
"How would Leo know the church?"
Rebecca answered from the doorway.
"He started receiving letters six months ago."
"From whom?"
"We don't know."
Victor looked at Hannah.
Elena's secrets were still moving through the world.
They returned to St. Agnes.
Sister Margaret was waiting.
"You found him."
It wasn't a question.
Victor stared at her.
"You knew."
"I hoped."
"You knew Leo was alive?"
"No. Elena suspected he might be."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because until yesterday, I had no evidence."
Victor struggled to control his anger.
Sister Margaret gave him another envelope.
"This arrived six months ago."
It was addressed to Leo.
Inside was a letter Elena had written before her death.
Sister Margaret explained that Elena had left instructions: if Leo ever contacted the church under any name, give him the letter.
Somehow Elliot had.
Victor read it.
My sweet boy, if you are reading this, then you survived.
Victor had to stop.
Hannah gently took the letter and continued.
Elena told Leo his real name.
She told him Victor loved him.
She told him never to believe anyone who said his father abandoned him.
At the bottom was an address.
An old cottage on Maryland's eastern shore.
They left immediately.
Night had fallen when they arrived.
A light burned inside.
Victor approached alone.
He opened the door.
A young man stood beside the kitchen table.
Nineteen.
Dark hair.
Scar above the eyebrow.
Victor stopped breathing.
The young man stared at him.
Neither spoke.
Then the young man whispered:
"Victor Castellano?"
Victor nodded.
The boy's expression hardened.
"Are you my father?"
Victor had faced armed enemies with steadier hands.
"Yes."
The young man looked away.
"I don't remember you."
"I know."
"I remember a woman singing."
"Your mother."
"I remember a big house."
"Harrow Point."
"I remember somebody telling me you didn't want me anymore."
Victor's face tightened.
"That was a lie."
The young man's eyes filled.
"How do I know?"
Victor reached slowly into his coat.
He removed the old silver coin.
Leo stared.
His hand went to his neck.
Beneath his shirt he pulled out a thin chain.
Attached to it was another silver disk.
Half of the same design.
Elena had divided a medallion into two pieces.
Victor finally understood.
Leo whispered, "She gave me this."
Victor held out his half.
The pieces aligned perfectly.
For the first time in twelve years, father and son stood inches apart.
Then headlights swept across the cottage windows.
Leo's face changed.
"He's here."
"Who?"
"The man who brought me."
Victor turned toward the door.
May you like
Arthur Delacroix had finally come to finish the secret Elena had spent twelve years keeping alive.
---
