Chapter 6 - HER MOTHER’S HANDWRITING
Celeste studied the photograph beneath the light of Arthur’s desk lamp.
The image showed Pier Nine during its years as an active shipping terminal.
Amelia stood near the loading cranes.
Beside her was a younger Arthur.
A third person had been scratched from the photograph with a knife.
Celeste turned it over again.
The date was written in blue ink.
August 1.
Tomorrow.
Beneath the date were five words.
THE TIDE REVEALS THE DOOR.
“This was not in the compartment,” Arthur said.
“You’re certain?”
“I haven’t seen that photograph in twenty years.”
Celeste examined the envelope.
There was no stamp.
Someone inside the mansion had placed it outside the study.
“Who knew about the ledger?” she asked.
“Your mother.”
“Who else?”
Arthur hesitated.
“Julian may have known.”
“That is not an answer.”
Arthur closed his eyes.
“Vivian knew.”
Celeste stared at him.
“Vivian didn’t marry into this family until six years after Mom died.”
“She worked for Amelia before the accident.”
The revelation changed everything.
Vivian had always claimed she met Julian at a charity auction.
Arthur now admitted she had known the family much earlier.
“She was your mother’s research assistant,” Arthur continued.
“Amelia trusted her.”
“Then why did Vivian hide it?”
“Because Julian paid her to.”
Celeste thought about the humiliation in the ballroom.
The cruelty had been real.
Yet Vivian’s brief reaction to the serial tag had also been real.
She knew pieces of the conspiracy, but not all of it.
A knock sounded at the door.
Admiral Reed entered with two agents.
“We found something on Voss’s phone,” he said.
“An encrypted message was sent seven minutes before the attack.”
“To whom?”
“We don’t know.”
He placed the phone on the desk.
Only one line had been recovered.
IF WARREN SURVIVES, MOVE THE ASSET.
Celeste looked at the photograph again.
“What asset?”
Reed’s expression darkened.
“We believe it may be the original Graywater guidance system.”
Arthur stood abruptly.
“That system was destroyed.”
Celeste watched him carefully.
“You sound very certain.”
“I saw the destruction report.”
“You saw the report Julian gave you.”
Arthur said nothing.
Celeste placed the photograph in her pocket.
“We’re going to Pier Nine.”
Reed glanced toward the windows.
“Midnight is less than two hours away.”
“No.”
Celeste looked at the date.
“The photograph says tomorrow.”
She pointed toward the final line.
“The tide reveals the door.”
“We go at dawn.”
May you like
From the study’s darkened doorway, Vivian spoke quietly.
“You’ll be dead before dawn.”
