Chapter 11 - Rose Whitmore
I nearly hung up.
"Don't use my mother to save yourself."
"I'm not. Ask Elliot why Rose kept a private account in Luxembourg."
Dad closed his eyes.
That was answer enough.
My mother's letter had made her sound like the only honest person in the family.
The truth was messier.
Rose had discovered the Joliet cover-up and secretly paid Marcus herself.
Not to hide the fire.
To collect evidence against him.
"She was trying to build a case," Dad said. "She thought if Marcus believed she was buying his loyalty, he would expose his network."
"Did it work?"
"Partly."
"Then why bury it?"
Dad's voice cracked.
"Because she died before she could finish. And I was afraid everything she collected would destroy the company along with Marcus."
My mother had died from an aneurysm.
Natural, sudden, unquestioned.
For the first time in my life, I hated the word unquestioned.
Daniel sent me a file.
It was a scan of the folder Adrian had given him.
Inside were wire records from Rose's private account to a shell company controlled by Marcus.
There was also a handwritten note from Adrian.
THE MONEY CONTINUED AFTER ROSE DIED.
Someone had kept paying Marcus for seven years.
I stared at Dad.
"Was it you?"
"No."
Tessa checked the account routing.
The transfers came through Whitmore Family Office.
Only four people had signing authority during those years.
Dad.
My mother before her death.
Our former CFO.
And my uncle, Stephen Whitmore.
Stephen was Dad's younger brother.
He was also the man who had spent the last decade presenting himself as the harmless family peacemaker.
My phone rang.
Uncle Stephen.
I answered.
He did not say hello.
"Mara, if Elliot is with you, get away from him."
Then I heard a door slam on his end.
May you like
Stephen gasped.
The line went dead.
