Chapter 5 - THE SECRET MARIA CARRIED
Nicholas confronted Maria privately.
He did not accuse her.
He simply placed Daniel Mercer’s photograph on the table.
Maria stared at it.
Her face went white.
“Where did you get that?”
“Was Daniel your husband?”
She shook her head.
“My brother.”
Nicholas frowned.
“Then Lucy—”
“Daniel was her father.”
The room fell silent.
Maria explained that Lucy’s mother, her close friend Elena, had died shortly after childbirth.
Daniel had raised the baby alone until he disappeared.
Maria had taken Lucy in and eventually become her legal guardian.
“Why did you change your surname?”
“Because men came looking for Daniel.”
“What men?”
“Men wearing your company badges.”
Nicholas felt cold.
Maria continued.
“Daniel found evidence that children and vulnerable workers were being transported through fake medical-relief shipments.”
Nicholas stared.
“That operation was shut down years ago.”
“No,” Maria said quietly. “It was hidden.”
She opened her bag.
Inside was a small silver flash drive.
“Daniel gave me this before he disappeared.”
“Why haven’t you gone to the police?”
“I did.”
“What happened?”
“The detective who took my statement called someone before I even left the building.”
Nicholas looked at the drive.
“Why work in my house?”
Maria’s eyes filled.
“Because Daniel told me that if he disappeared, I should find out whether Nicholas Caruso knew.”
“And?”
She looked at him.
May you like
“I still don’t know.”
For the first time in years, Nicholas had no answer.
