The woman waiting upstairs was older than Robert remembered.
Her hair was cut short and streaked with silver.
She wore a dark coat and carried a leather folder.
When Robert saw her, neither spoke.
Anna looked at him.
“You survived.”
Robert answered quietly.
“So did you.”
Eleanor stood beside him.
Anna looked at her.
“You must be Eleanor.”
“Yes.”
“I owe you an apology.”
Eleanor's expression hardened.
“For what?”
“For leaving.”
Robert looked away.
Anna entered the room.
“I disappeared because Father told me to.”
Michael frowned.
“Why?”
“He had discovered who was behind the accounts.”
Robert stared.
“Who?”
Anna opened the folder.
“Not Victor.”
She placed a photograph on the table.
A man stood beside Thomas Whitmore.
Eleanor didn't recognize him.
Robert did.
“My uncle.”
Anna nodded.
“Thomas's brother.”
“He was dead.”
“He wasn't.”
Daniel looked at the photograph.
“When was this taken?”
“Twenty-two years ago.”
Robert sat down.
“Why didn't Father tell me?”
“He tried.”
Anna's voice softened.
“But by then, people were already watching us.”
She opened the folder.
Inside were letters between Thomas and his brother.
The letters described a network that moved money through legitimate companies.
Victor had been only one manager.
The true architect was Thomas's brother, Edward.
Eleanor stared.
“Then why would Thomas work against his own brother?”
“Because he discovered what Edward was doing.”
Robert shook his head.
“I thought Father was protecting the company.”
“He was trying to destroy it.”
Anna looked at him.
“He couldn't do it alone.”
Daniel pointed at the papers.
“What happened to Edward?”
Anna answered.
“He disappeared.”
“Like you.”
“Yes.”
Robert looked at his sister.
“You knew where he was?”
“No.”
“Then how did you survive?”
Anna hesitated.
“Because Edward believed I knew where the records were.”
Eleanor understood.
“So he kept you alive.”
Anna nodded.
“For twenty years.”
Michael stared at her.
“Where were you?”
“Different countries. Different names.”
“Why return now?”
Anna looked at Robert.
“Because Edward is dead.”
The room fell silent.
“How?” Robert asked.
“Natural causes.”
Daniel frowned.
“Are you sure?”
Anna smiled faintly.
“No.”
She opened another document.
“That's why I came back.”
The document was a death certificate.
The name was different.
But the photograph attached to it showed the same man.
Robert leaned over it.
“When did he die?”
“Three months ago.”
“Then why wait?”
“Because I needed to be certain.”
“Certain of what?”
“That he left something behind.”
Anna removed a small envelope.
Inside was a key.
Eleanor recognized it immediately.
It matched the brass key they had found in the cabin.
Robert stared.
“Where did you get that?”
“From Edward.”
“You saw him?”
“Before he died.”
Robert stood.
“You said he died three months ago.”
“He did.”
“Then when did you see him?”
“Four months ago.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“What did he tell you?”
Anna looked at him.
“He told me Robert was alive.”
Eleanor's heart stopped.
“He knew?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't he expose him?”
“Because he was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Of the person who replaced him.”
Robert stared.
“Replaced him?”
Anna nodded.
“Edward wasn't running the network anymore.”
“Who was?”
Anna looked at Eleanor.
“You.”
Eleanor recoiled.
“What?”
Anna shook her head.
“Not you personally.”
She opened the final document.
“The account was moved into your name after Robert disappeared.”
Daniel stared.
“That would make Eleanor the legal holder.”
“Yes.”
“But she didn't know.”
Anna nodded.
“That was the point.”
Robert looked at Eleanor.
“I never knew.”
Eleanor felt sick.
“Then why did Victor want me?”
“Because whoever controlled the account could access the remaining funds.”
Michael frowned.
“Where are they?”
Anna looked toward the station floor.
“Here.”
Everyone turned.
“Hidden where?”
“Under the old platform.”
Marcus immediately contacted the investigators.
Within an hour, the platform was opened.
Beneath the concrete was a steel compartment.
Inside were documents and several sealed drives.
Daniel examined one.
“This is recent.”
Robert frowned.
“How recent?”
“Last month.”
Eleanor looked at him.
“Someone has been using the account.”
Robert nodded.
“Then the person behind this is still active.”
Anna shook her head.
“No.”
Everyone looked at her.
“They aren't using the account.”
“Then what?”
“They're transferring everything out.”
“Where?”
Anna handed Daniel a final sheet.
A destination account appeared.
Daniel's face changed.
“I know this institution.”
Robert looked at him.
“Who owns it?”
Daniel hesitated.
Then answered.
“The foundation that funded the investigation.”
Robert went completely still.
“That can't be.”
Anna looked at him.
“It can.”
Eleanor watched his face.
“You trusted them.”
“Yes.”
“And they were involved.”
Robert nodded slowly.
“Maybe.”
Michael looked at the documents.
“Then Victor wasn't protecting the network.”
“No,” Robert said.
“He was protecting himself.”
“Yes.”
“And someone above him was using the investigation to collect the evidence.”
Robert stared at the page.
“That means the investigation was compromised.”
Anna nodded.
“Not all of it.”
Sarah stepped forward.
“I know someone who can verify the transfers.”
Everyone looked at her.
“Who?”
“My former supervisor.”
“Where is he?”
“Washington.”
Daniel checked his phone.
“I can trace the transfers.”
Robert looked at him.
“Do it.”
Eleanor touched Robert's arm.
“What happens if you're right?”
Robert looked at her.
“Then the people who thought they buried the truth have made one mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“They left records.”
Anna smiled.
“That was always Father's weakness.”
Robert looked toward the old station.
“He believed paper could outlive people.”
Eleanor looked at the boxes.
“Maybe he was right.”
Daniel's phone chimed.
He stared at the screen.
“Found it.”
Everyone gathered around.
The final transfer had been made only six days earlier.
The destination account belonged to a private foundation.
The account holder was hidden.
But the beneficiary name was visible.
Robert read it.
Then he stepped backward.
“No.”
Eleanor caught his arm.
“What?”
Robert looked at her.
“It isn't Edward.”
“Who is it?”
He whispered the name.
“Michael.”
Michael froze.
Click Here to continue read next: PART12: Michael’s Name Appeared on the Final Transfer, and Eleanor Had to Decide Whether the Son She Protected Had Been Protecting Her All Along
She Had Been Waiting Beside the Red Suitcase for Nearly an Hour When a Stranger Finally Asked Why She Was Crying
Part 11 of 16
