Chapter 8 - My Mother Knew Mateo
“Mateo.”
My mother's voice shook.
He stared at her.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
I looked between them.
“You know each other?”
My mother swallowed.
“We've met.”
“That's not what this looks like.”
Mateo's expression was unreadable.
“When?”
“Years ago.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
She looked at me.
“Because I wanted to protect you.”
I almost laughed.
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
My mother stepped closer.
“Maeve, please.”
“No.”
I pointed at the photograph.
“You knew my father had money.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Mateo's family.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about Brandon.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I knew enough to be afraid.”
Brandon smiled.
“This is the part where everything falls apart.”
Mateo turned toward him.
“Leave.”
Brandon laughed.
“You still think you're in control.”
Mateo moved closer.
Brandon stepped back.
Then the cathedral bells rang.
Nine o'clock.
My mother suddenly grabbed my hand.
“Maeve, we have to go.”
“Why?”
“Because they found us.”
“Who?”
She looked toward the doors.
“The people who killed your father.”
The doors opened.
Men entered.
Mateo immediately moved in front of me.
Gunfire erupted.
We ran.
My mother pulled me through a side corridor.
“Where are we going?”
“To the old crypt.”
“Why?”
“Because your father left something there.”
We descended the stairs.
Mateo followed.
Brandon disappeared in the chaos.
At the bottom, my mother stopped before a stone wall.
She pressed a hidden latch.
A door opened.
Inside was a small room.
A safe.
My mother handed me a key.
“Your father wanted you to have this.”
I stared.
“Why didn't you give it to me before?”
“Because I was afraid of what would happen.”
I opened the safe.
Inside was a ledger.
Black leather.
The same symbol as the photograph.
M.R.
I opened it.
Names filled the pages.
Judges.
Lawyers.
Businessmen.
Police officials.
Then I saw a familiar name.
Brandon Hayes.
Next to it was another.
Victor Hayes.
Then another.
Mateo Duca.
I froze.
Mateo stepped forward.
“Why is my name there?”
My mother whispered, “Because your brother was investigating them.”
He looked at her.
“And?”
“Your brother discovered the person controlling everything.”
“Who?”
She looked at me.
“Your father.”
I stared.
“What?”
“Your father wasn't their victim.”
My mother began crying.
“He was the person who built the network.”
Silence.
Mateo stared at the ledger.
“No.”
My mother nodded.
“He tried to leave.”
“And they killed him.”
“Yes.”
I turned another page.
A final name was written in red.
M.R. — MATEO'S BROTHER.
Mateo went completely still.
Then the lights in the crypt went out.
A voice came through the darkness.
“Maeve.”
I knew that voice.
Brandon.
May you like
And he whispered:
“Your mother has one more thing to tell you...”
