Chapter 6 - The Second Secret
The woman was Rebecca Sloan.
Bonnie stared.
Vincent relaxed slightly.
Rebecca looked exhausted.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came before the police."
"Why?"
Rebecca held another envelope.
"Because Edward escaping wasn't accidental."
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
Rebecca explained that someone inside the investigation had helped him.
Someone connected to the original case.
She handed Bonnie the envelope.
Eleanor's handwriting again.
Bonnie opened it.
This letter contained something the first had omitted.
Her grandfather hadn't merely worked for Vincent's father.
He had been his partner in attempting to expose Edward.
And Eleanor had hidden one final piece of evidence separately.
A recording.
"Where?"
Rebecca pointed toward Bonnie's apartment.
"Your grandmother left instructions."
Bonnie unlocked the door.
Inside, nothing looked disturbed.
They searched.
Eventually Bonnie remembered an antique music box Eleanor had given her.
Inside its false bottom was a microcassette.
Rebecca found an old player.
Eleanor's voice filled the room.
"If Bonnie hears this, Edward Wexler has found the ledgers."
Bonnie closed her eyes.
Her grandmother continued.
She explained everything.
Edward had orchestrated financial crimes.
Ryan had initially been introduced to Bonnie deliberately.
But Eleanor believed Ryan eventually rejected his father's worst plans.
Bonnie looked at Vincent.
That complicated nothing and everything.
Then Eleanor's recording mentioned the insurance scheme.
Edward intended to make Bonnie's death look accidental if she ever discovered the truth.
Bonnie's stomach turned.
The recording ended with one name.
Detective Marcus Hale.
The officer who had investigated Edward's supposed death.
Rebecca whispered, "Hale is supervising the search for him tonight."
Vincent was already calling his security chief.
Too late.
Bonnie's phone rang.
Ryan.
She answered.
"Bonnie."
He sounded breathless.
"Where are you?"
"Why?"
"My father found me."
Bonnie stood.
"Where?"
"Waterfront office."
"Call police."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because Hale is here."
A crash.
Ryan cursed.
Then whispered:
"They're coming."
The call ended.
Bonnie looked at Vincent.
"We have to help him."
Vincent studied her.
"After everything?"
"I'm not helping my husband."
She corrected herself.
"My ex-husband."
Then she looked toward the recording.
"I'm helping a witness."
Vincent nodded.
They moved.
At the waterfront property, police vehicles already surrounded the site.
But Vincent didn't trust them.
Neither did Rebecca.
They contacted federal investigators using evidence from Eleanor's recording.
Inside, Ryan had barricaded himself in an office.
Edward and Hale were somewhere in the building.
Bonnie remained in the secured vehicle.
Until Ryan called again.
"Bonnie."
"I'm here."
"Listen carefully."
"What?"
"The forty-one dollars."
She froze.
"What about them?"
"I didn't choose that number randomly."
Bonnie stared into the darkness.
"Then why?"
"My father used forty-one as a code."
"For what?"
"Account forty-one."
Ryan breathed hard.
"The account where he kept payments to Hale."
Bonnie remembered the bills.
Two twenties.
One single.
"You were trying to tell me?"
"I couldn't say anything. Vanessa was listening."
Bonnie felt anger flare.
"You humiliated me as a warning?"
"I thought you'd notice."
"How could I possibly notice?"
"I was scared."
That didn't absolve him.
But it explained something.
Ryan continued.
"Bonnie, there's another thing."
"What?"
"I didn't bring Vanessa tonight to humiliate you."
Bonnie almost laughed.
"She did a convincing impression."
"She was working with my father."
Bonnie went silent.
"What?"
"I found out after you left."
Movement appeared near the construction entrance.
A woman in a champagne-colored dress stepped into view.
Vanessa.
Bonnie stared through the windshield.
Her phone vibrated.
A message from Vanessa.
DON'T TRUST RYAN.
Then Ryan whispered through the call:
"Bonnie, Vanessa is the one who increased your insurance."
The vehicle door suddenly unlocked.
Bonnie looked up.
May you like
Vanessa was standing outside.
And she was holding Eleanor's missing second ledger.
