Chapter 4 - THE DEAD BROTHER
Grant sat down.
Natalie arrived fifteen minutes later.
She refused to believe it.
“I went to Alex's funeral.”
“So did I,” Grant said.
Victoria stared at her hands.
“There was no body.”
A boating accident in the Gulf.
Storm.
Missing vessel.
Blood found aboard.
Alexander presumed dead.
The family buried an empty coffin.
Grant had been nineteen.
Natalie five.
Charles Wexler never recovered emotionally.
At least that was what Grant believed.
Victoria explained that Alexander had developed a drug addiction and accumulated enormous gambling debts.
He became involved with men who threatened the Wexler family.
Charles wanted to cut him off.
Victoria couldn't.
So she created a disappearance.
New identity.
Offshore money.
Malcolm handled payments.
For years.
Grant stared at her.
“You let Dad believe his son was dead?”
“He eventually knew.”
“When?”
“Seven years ago.”
“And?”
“He wanted Alexander brought home and prosecuted for what he'd done.”
“What had he done?”
Victoria looked toward Mariana.
“Silver Meridian.”
Alexander had created the shell network.
Not simply to receive money.
To move money through the Wexler Foundation into private businesses.
Medical procurement.
Aircraft maintenance.
Consulting.
Grant whispered:
“Dad discovered it.”
“Yes.”
“And Mariana discovered it independently.”
“Yes.”
Mariana felt cold.
“Then I wasn't framed because of eight million dollars.”
Victoria shook her head.
“You were framed because you found the road leading to Alexander.”
Grant stood.
“Did Alex kill Dad?”
Victoria looked away.
“Answer me.”
“I don't know.”
“That's a lie.”
“I don't know!”
For the first time, Victoria screamed.
“I know Malcolm arranged the flight. I know Alexander's maintenance company worked on the plane. I know Charles called me from Denver and said he was coming home to expose everything.”
She started crying.
“Then he died.”
“And you stopped the toxicology.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I was afraid the truth would lead to Alexander.”
Natalie whispered:
“You protected one son by letting another believe his father died naturally.”
Victoria looked destroyed.
“Yes.”
Mariana stared at her.
“And you let me go to prison.”
Victoria's eyes met hers.
“Yes.”
No excuse softened it.
That almost made it worse.
Grant called federal investigators before Victoria finished speaking.
She did not stop him.
Maybe she finally understood the cost of another lie.
An arrest warrant was issued for Malcolm.
Dean Colter vanished.
Alexander Wexler became the target of a sealed federal investigation.
Grant provided every family record requested.
Within forty-eight hours, Mariana's conviction was formally stayed pending full review.
One week later, the district attorney entered court.
Mariana stood beside a new attorney.
Grant sat in the back.
The prosecutor addressed the judge.
“Evidence critical to Ms. Vance's defense was intentionally withheld. Evidence used to establish guilt appears to have been fabricated.”
Mariana could barely hear.
“We therefore move to vacate the conviction.”
The judge looked at her.
“Ms. Vance, this court cannot give you back the years you lost.”
Her eyes filled.
“No, Your Honor.”
“But it can correct its record.”
The gavel fell.
“Conviction vacated.”
Mariana closed her eyes.
Four years and eight months.
Gone in two sentences.
Outside, reporters screamed questions.
Grant waited beside the courthouse steps.
Mason ran toward her.
“Mommy!”
She dropped to her knees.
He crashed into her.
“Are you not a prisoner anymore?”
She started crying.
“No, baby.”
“Forever?”
“Forever.”
Mason turned toward Grant.
“Dad!”
The word came naturally.
Grant froze.
Mariana did too.
Mason had begun calling him Grant two days earlier.
Apparently he had decided to skip a stage.
Grant crouched.
“Hey, buddy.”
“Mommy's free.”
“Yes.”
Mason looked serious.
“You're happy.”
Grant smiled.
“Very.”
Then Mason hugged both of them.
The photograph appeared everywhere.
Not the ex-con and the billionaire.
A mother crying.
A little boy holding both parents.
For one day, the internet was kind.
Then Paige returned.
Mariana received a call from an unknown number.
She almost didn't answer.
“Mariana?”
Her blood turned cold.
“Paige.”
“Please don't hang up.”
“Where are you?”
“I didn't burn the salon.”
“I don't care.”
“Malcolm did.”
Mariana stood.
Grant noticed.
Paige continued.
“He's looking for me because I kept something.”
“What?”
“The original transfer records.”
Mariana's pulse jumped.
“Why would you keep those?”
“Insurance.”
“After you put me in prison?”
Paige started crying.
“I never thought you'd get five years.”
Mariana laughed in disbelief.
“What sentence did you think was acceptable?”
“I'm sorry.”
“No. You're scared.”
Silence.
That was true.
Paige whispered:
“I can prove Malcolm ordered everything.”
“Then go to the police.”
“I can't trust them.”
“Why?”
“Because Dean has people there.”
Mariana looked at Grant.
He activated a trace through security.
Paige continued:
“I need you to meet me.”
“No.”
“I have the letters.”
Mariana froze.
“What letters?”
“The ones you wrote Grant.”
Her knees weakened.
“You kept them?”
“Victoria told me to destroy them.”
“But you didn't.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because one day I knew somebody might need proof.”
Mariana's voice shook.
“I needed proof for five years.”
Paige cried harder.
“I'm sorry.”
Grant whispered:
“Keep her talking.”
Mariana closed her eyes.
“Where?”
Paige gave an address.
An abandoned storage facility outside Fort Worth.
Grant shook his head.
Trap.
Mariana knew it too.
Then Paige said:
“There's something else.”
“What?”
“I know where Alexander is.”
Grant froze.
Paige's voice dropped.
“And Mariana?”
“Yes?”
“He knows about Mason.”
The call ended.
Grant looked at her.
Mariana immediately understood the danger.
Alexander Wexler had spent twenty years surviving because the family protected his secret.
Now a four-year-old child had reopened the entire case.
May you like
And Alexander knew exactly which two people had caused it.
---
