Chapter 13 - Rafael's Dead-Man File
The greenhouse was dark except for one office light.
Bell wanted police first.
I went in anyway.
Claudia sat tied to a chair.
Adrian stood behind her.
Gun in one hand.
A hard drive in the other.
He looked tired now.
Human.
More dangerous.
“Let her go.”
He laughed.
“You inherit for forty-eight hours and start giving orders.”
“She is your daughter.”
“She chose you.”
Claudia said, “Dad, stop.”
He tightened his grip on her shoulder.
I held up both hands.
“You wanted the pendant.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because 317 was only the map.”
“To what?”
“Original ownership certificates.”
“We found them.”
“Copies.”
My stomach tightened.
Adrian smiled.
“Rafael never trusted banks.”
“What did he trust?”
“Blood.”
I almost laughed.
“This family?”
“Exactly.”
He held up the hard drive.
“Give me the necklace.”
“No.”
He pointed the gun at Claudia.
Victoria’s voice came from behind me.
“Adrian.”
He froze.
His mother entered.
No security.
No weapon.
Just Victoria.
“You came alone?”
“Yes.”
“You always were stupid when afraid.”
She stepped closer.
“I was afraid of you for too long.”
His jaw tightened.
Claudia whispered, “Grandma.”
Victoria looked at me.
“The pendant opens nothing.”
Adrian snapped, “Shut up.”
Victoria kept going.
“The stone contains a number, yes. But Rafael replaced the original key years ago.”
Adrian’s face changed.
“You’re lying.”
“I watched him.”
He aimed at her.
Bell shouted outside.
Police.
Adrian panicked.
Claudia slammed her heel backward into his shin.
He fired.
The bullet hit glass.
I lunged.
Victoria pulled Claudia down.
Adrian ran through the rear door.
Police followed.
He disappeared into the tree line.
But he dropped the hard drive.
Bell picked it up.
Back at the estate, we opened it.
Rafael’s complete dead-man archive.
Transfers.
Medication.
Security.
Everything.
One file:
VICTORIA - NOT INVOLVED / TOO AFRAID TO ACT.
She stared at it.
Rafael knew her exactly.
Another file:
ADRIAN - CRIMINAL EVIDENCE.
Another:
EVELYN - FAMILY TRUTH.
Then:
LUCIA - FINAL.
I opened it.
Video.
Rafael looked directly at me.
“If you are watching this, Adrian probably killed me.”
My breath stopped.
“But Adrian is not the person who erased Isabel.”
We already knew.
Evelyn.
Then he continued:
“And Evelyn is not the reason Elena never knew who her father was.”
I froze.
Victoria looked at me.
Rafael held up another sealed folder.
“Lucia, your mother’s paternity changes everything.”
The screen went black.
Bell whispered:
“Where’s the folder?”
Victoria stared at the pendant.
Then said:
“Rafael gave it to me.”
May you like
CUT.
