Chapter 5 - The Secret Vivian Buried
Daniel raised his hands.
"Nora, stay behind me."
Martin smiled sadly.
"You always were predictable."
"She's six."
"And I'm not interested in hurting her."
"You kidnapped her."
"Because Vivian forced my hand."
Daniel stared at the man he'd called Uncle Martin as a child.
"Rebecca discovered what you were doing."
"Rebecca discovered what your father was doing."
"She wrote that you ordered the crash."
Martin's expression changed.
"Rebecca wrote many things."
"Did you?"
Silence.
That was answer enough.
Martin wanted the flash drives.
Daniel had brought copies.
The originals were already with Detective Brooks.
He didn't tell Martin.
"Let Nora go."
"First the drives."
Daniel removed them from his pocket.
Martin's eyes followed.
Then a noise came from the corridor.
Martin spun.
Vivian appeared.
"Looking for this?"
She held a worn stuffed rabbit.
Nora gasped.
"Bunny!"
Martin's composure disappeared.
"Give me that."
Vivian backed away.
"Let them leave."
"Vivian."
"Let them leave."
Martin pointed the gun toward her.
Daniel moved.
Everything happened in seconds.
He slammed Martin's arm against the doorframe.
The weapon fell.
Vivian kicked it away.
Daniel tackled Martin.
Police rushed in.
Martin was handcuffed.
Nora ran to Vivian.
Vivian dropped to her knees.
"I'm sorry."
Nora clung to her.
"You left me."
The words destroyed whatever composure Vivian had left.
"I know."
"You said you'd come back."
"I know, baby."
"Why did you put me in the wall?"
Vivian cried openly.
"Because I was scared and I made a terrible decision."
Nora looked at her.
"Was I bad?"
"No."
Vivian held her face.
"No. Never. None of this was because you were bad."
Daniel turned away.
He suddenly understood why Ellie had been so determined to feed Nora.
Children interpreted adults' failures as judgments about themselves.
Nora had been hidden and believed she deserved hiding.
Ellie had been frightened into silence and believed telling the truth might cost her father.
Daniel would not allow either child to carry that burden.
Police recovered the rabbit.
Inside its seam was the device.
The evidence was devastating.
Martin and several executives had stolen millions over more than a decade.
Rebecca had discovered them.
Martin arranged the sabotage meant to kill her.
Charles Carter had participated in the fraud but apparently had not known about the attempted murder.
The truth was uglier and more complicated than Daniel wanted.
But Nora was alive.
That mattered most.
Then Detective Brooks approached.
"We have a problem."
Daniel looked up.
"What?"
"Martin wasn't alone."
"Who else?"
"We don't know yet."
Martin laughed from across the room.
Daniel turned.
Martin smiled.
"You think this ends with me?"
Brooks pulled him toward the police vehicle.
Martin looked directly at Vivian.
"Ask your wife why Rebecca really gave Nora to her."
Daniel stared at Vivian.
She went pale.
"Vivian?"
Martin laughed again.
"She still hasn't told you."
Daniel's stomach tightened.
"Told me what?"
Vivian looked at Nora.
Then Daniel.
And whispered:
"Rebecca didn't choose me because I was her friend."
Daniel waited.
May you like
Vivian's next words stunned him.
"She chose me because Nora's father was a Carter."
