The door handle turned.
Michael shoved the trust agreement inside his shirt and grabbed the edge of the hidden panel. “Move.”
Rosa slipped through first. Elena followed, then Mrs. Whitmore. Daniel waited until Michael entered and pulled the wooden panel almost closed behind them. A second later, the door of Room 208 opened.
Victor Hale’s voice carried through the room.
“Search it.”
Daniel held his breath.
The passage was barely wide enough for one person. Its stone walls smelled of damp earth, and the ceiling was so low that Michael had to bend slightly as he moved. Somewhere behind them, furniture scraped across the floor.
“They'll find the entrance,” Daniel whispered.
“Not if they think we went downstairs,” Michael said.
“You said this leads to the chapel.”
“It does.”
“And Rosa said that's where they took Samuel.”
Michael stopped.
The others nearly walked into him.
Ahead, the passage divided into two tunnels.
Daniel stared.
“You didn't know about this?”
“No.”
Rosa pointed toward the narrower passage. “That way goes to the chapel.”
“And the other?”
“The old service rooms.”
Michael looked at her.
“You've used these tunnels.”
“Only when Victor needed something moved without the staff seeing.”
“What kind of things?”
Rosa hesitated.
“People.”
Nobody spoke.
Then a heavy thud sounded behind them.
Someone had discovered the hidden panel.
Michael turned toward the chapel tunnel.
“We go now.”
They hurried forward.
The floor changed from stone to rough concrete. Water dripped somewhere overhead. Daniel could hear Elena breathing quickly behind him. Mrs. Whitmore was struggling to keep pace, so he reached back and took her hand.
She squeezed his fingers.
“I've spent seven years thinking my son was dead,” she whispered.
Daniel looked at her.
“Don't let him disappear again.”
The words stayed with him as they continued.
At the end of the tunnel stood an iron door.
Rosa pulled a key from around her neck.
Before she could use it, Michael caught her wrist.
“Where did you get that?”
“Samuel gave it to me.”
Michael's expression changed.
“You've seen him recently?”
“Yesterday.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't know whether you were being followed.”
Michael stared at her.
Then he nodded.
Rosa inserted the key.
The lock clicked.
Beyond the door was a chamber beneath the chapel.
Daniel expected darkness.
Instead, a small lamp burned on a wooden table.
There were blankets stacked against one wall, canned food, bottled water, medical supplies, and several books. Someone had been living there.
Then a chair moved.
A man stepped from behind a pillar.
He was thin and gray-haired, with a walking stick in one hand.
Michael stopped breathing.
The man looked at him.
“Hello, Michael.”
Michael stared.
“Samuel.”
The older man smiled faintly.
“I wondered how long it would take.”
Michael crossed the room.
He stopped inches away.
“You're alive.”
Samuel nodded.
“So are you.”
Michael grabbed his shoulders.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Samuel's expression hardened.
“Because I tried.”
Michael froze.
“What?”
“I tried to reach you after the crash.”
“Where?”
“Everywhere I could.”
Samuel looked toward Mrs. Whitmore.
“She didn't know where you were.”
“I was hiding.”
“I know.”
“Then why didn't you tell my mother?”
Samuel’s voice softened.
“Because Victor was listening.”
Mrs. Whitmore stepped forward.
“You could have told me.”
Samuel looked at her with visible regret.
“I was afraid he would kill you.”
She shook her head.
“You all made that decision for me.”
Samuel lowered his eyes.
“You're right.”
Daniel noticed Elena watching Michael.
Her face was relieved, but not peaceful.
She knew there was more.
“What happened the night of the crash?” she asked.
Samuel leaned against the table.
“Michael discovered the transfer records.”
Michael nodded.
“I found them in my father's office.”
“You found part of them,” Samuel corrected.
Michael frowned.
Samuel reached for a folder.
“The real records were hidden elsewhere.”
“Where?”
“Inside the chapel.”
Michael looked around.
“This chapel?”
Samuel nodded.
“Your father trusted the chapel because Victor hated coming here.”
“Why?”
“Because your father knew Victor had forged the property records.”
Michael took a step closer.
“And the crash?”
Samuel opened the folder.
“Victor hired someone to follow Michael.”
“Who?”
Samuel looked directly at him.
“Me.”
Michael stared.
“What?”
“I was supposed to drive you somewhere safe.”
“But you were in the car.”
“Yes.”
“I wasn't.”
“No.”
Samuel closed his eyes briefly.
“When I realized Victor's men were following us, I told you to leave the car at the service road.”
Michael's face tightened.
“I remember.”
“You ran into the woods.”
“And you stayed.”
“I thought I could lose them.”
Samuel's voice broke.
“I couldn't.”
The room fell silent.
Daniel looked at the old man.
“They thought Samuel was you.”
“Yes.”
“And the watch?”
Samuel touched his wrist.
“Michael gave it to me.”
Michael looked down.
“I thought it would help you convince them.”
“It did.”
Mrs. Whitmore sat down.
“My God.”
Samuel continued.
“But there was one thing neither of us understood.”
“What?” Elena asked.
“The person who arranged the crash knew Michael had escaped.”
Michael looked at him.
“Then why did Victor believe I died?”
“Because someone wanted him to.”
Daniel felt the room grow colder.
“Who?”
Samuel reached into the folder and removed a photograph.
He placed it on the table.
Daniel recognized the man immediately.
The night manager.
Michael stared at the picture.
“He was there.”
Samuel nodded.
“He worked for your father first.”
Michael's face tightened.
“And then Victor bought him.”
Samuel shook his head.
“Not exactly.”
He turned the photograph over.
On the back was another name.
Elias Grant.
Daniel frowned.
“Who is that?”
Samuel looked at him.
“The manager's real name.”
Michael studied the photograph.
“But why would he help Victor?”
“He didn't.”
Everyone went quiet.
Samuel pointed to the photograph.
“He was working undercover.”
Daniel's eyes widened.
“For whom?”
Samuel looked at Michael.
“Your father.”
The implications spread through the room.
The manager had not betrayed them.
He had spent seven years inside Victor's operation.
Michael rubbed his forehead.
“Then why did he attack us?”
“He wasn't attacking you.”
Samuel looked toward the ceiling.
“He was trying to delay Victor.”
A noise came from the tunnel.
Everyone turned.
Footsteps.
Close.
Rosa extinguished the lamp.
Samuel whispered, “They're here.”
Michael grabbed Elena's hand.
Daniel helped Mrs. Whitmore stand.
The iron door began to shake.
Someone was trying to force it open.
Victor’s voice came through.
“Michael!”
Nobody answered.
Victor knocked again.
“You have nowhere to go.”
Michael looked at Samuel.
“Is there another exit?”
Samuel nodded.
“Through the chapel.”
“How?”
Samuel pointed toward a stone altar.
“Your father built a passage underneath it.”
Michael and Daniel pushed the altar.
It moved several inches.
Behind it was a narrow opening.
Rosa crawled through first.
Elena followed.
Mrs. Whitmore went next.
Daniel held the opening while Michael helped Samuel toward it.
The iron door behind them groaned.
Victor shouted, “Open it!”
Michael pushed Samuel through.
Then Daniel heard a gunshot.
The bullet struck the stone beside Michael's head.
He dropped behind the altar.
“Go!” Samuel shouted.
Michael crawled through.
Daniel followed.
The altar slammed back into place.
The chapel above them was dark.
They emerged behind a row of old wooden pews.
For several seconds nobody moved.
Then the chapel doors opened.
Victor walked inside.
He was holding a pistol.
Behind him stood two men from the resort security team.
Victor looked around.
His expression remained calm.
“Michael.”
Michael stood slowly.
Victor smiled.
“You always did make things more complicated than they needed to be.”
Michael held the trust agreement against his chest.
Victor's eyes immediately dropped toward it.
“There it is.”
Daniel understood.
The document was what Victor wanted.
Michael looked at the man who had spent seven years destroying his life.
“You're not getting it.”
Victor's smile vanished.
“Then your mother dies first.”
Mrs. Whitmore stepped forward.
“No.”
Victor raised the pistol.
Daniel moved between them.
“Wait.”
Victor looked at him.
“You're the man with the mug.”
Daniel felt his stomach tighten.
“You know who I am?”
Victor smiled faintly.
“I know everyone who works here.”
Then he looked toward Michael.
“And now I know exactly where you hid.”
Click Here to continue read next: PART6: Victor Finally Revealed Why He Had Chased Michael for Seven Years, and the Truth Made the Missing Years Far More Dangerous Than Death
She Had Been Smiling at the Door Until One Quiet Morning Changed What Everyone Thought They Knew About Her
Part 5 of 16
