Chapter 15 - THE VAULT BENEATH THE MANSION|
The family vault was hidden beneath the oldest part of the Costa mansion.
Graham had never been allowed inside.
His father had claimed the room contained nothing but old financial records.
Now Graham understood why the door had been sealed.
The brass key fit perfectly.
Inside were metal cabinets, locked boxes, and shelves filled with documents.
Walter examined the first cabinet.
"These are the original trust records."
Graham opened a second box.
It contained photographs, bank statements, and medical files.
Tabitha found a letter addressed to her mother.
She opened it carefully.
Elizabeth, if you are reading this, I have failed to protect my children. Please make sure they know that I loved them all equally.
Tabitha pressed the letter against her chest.
Catherine stood beside her.
"We should have had a family."
"We still can," Tabitha whispered.
Then Graham discovered something else.
A ledger listed payments made to private clinics, law enforcement officers, and several politicians.
The final page contained a signature.
Victor Costa.
But beneath it was another name.
Anthony Russo.
Graham stared at the document.
"Anthony has been working with my father since the beginning."
Walter nodded.
"His father was involved too."
A sound came from behind the vault door.
Someone was approaching.
Graham raised his weapon.
"Stay behind me."
The door opened.
Anthony Russo stood there.
His injured shoulder was bandaged.
He held a pistol.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" he said, looking around the room.
Graham's expression hardened.
"You should be in prison."
Anthony smiled.
"I should be running this family."
He pointed the gun toward Tabitha.
"Give me the ledger."
Graham stepped forward.
"Leave her out of this."
"That's what your father said when he first discovered she existed."
Tabitha frowned.
"What?"
Anthony laughed.
"Your mother wasn't the only woman Victor wanted silenced. Elizabeth knew about the accounts. She knew where the evidence was hidden."
He looked at Tabitha.
"Your entire childhood was built around keeping that little key away from us."
Graham kept his weapon trained on him.
"Put the gun down."
Anthony shook his head.
"You're not going to shoot me. Not with your sisters here."
Then he fired.
The bullet struck a cabinet.
Graham returned fire.
Anthony dropped his weapon and fell.
Security officers entered seconds later.
But Anthony was laughing.
Graham approached him.
"What is so funny?"
Anthony coughed.
"You're celebrating too early."
"Why?"
"Because Victor isn't the only one who knows about the vault."
He looked at Tabitha.
"There's another copy of the ledger."
"Where?"
Anthony smiled.
"With the person you trust most."
Graham's eyes narrowed.
"Who?"
Anthony's gaze shifted toward Walter.
The elderly attorney went pale.
Tabitha slowly turned.
Walter was standing near the open vault door.
His right hand was inside his coat.
And when he withdrew it, he was holding a second gun.
May you like
"I'm sorry, Graham," he whispered.
Then he locked the vault from the outside.
