The Secret Beneath the Clock Tower
Chapter 6
Vivian turned slowly.
Martin stood in the darkness with a flashlight in one hand.
“You scared me.”
“I apologize.”
“No, you don’t.”
Martin smiled.
“What are you doing here?”
“Looking for the truth.”
“About what?”
“My mother.”
His smile disappeared.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Martin said, “Your father should have told you everything.”
“My father is afraid.”
“He has reason to be.”
“Are you threatening him?”
“No.”
Martin stepped closer.
“I am warning you.”
“About Daniel?”
“About everyone.”
Vivian raised the key.
“What does seventeen mean?”
Martin stared at it.
“You found that?”
“Yes.”
He sighed.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
“Vivian.”
“You’ve lied to me.”
“I’ve protected your family.”
“From what?”
Martin looked toward the dark lobby.
“From the people who built this hotel.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“It will.”
He turned away.
Vivian followed.
“Who owns Meridian Development Holdings?”
Martin stopped.
“You found that name.”
“My mother signed something.”
“She didn’t.”
“What?”
“She signed nothing.”
Vivian stared at him.
“Then why is her signature on the document?”
“Because it was forged.”
“By whom?”
Martin’s jaw tightened.
“Your father.”
The words hit harder than Vivian expected.
“No.”
“Your father wasn’t the villain when this started.”
“Started what?”
“The hotel.”
Martin took a breath.
“Your grandfather borrowed money to build it. When the debt became impossible to repay, an investment group offered help. They wanted controlling rights to the property.”
“And my father agreed?”
“At first.”
“What changed?”
“Your mother discovered the agreement contained a clause that would transfer the land permanently if the hotel failed to meet certain financial conditions.”
Vivian understood.
“The company wanted the hotel.”
“Yes.”
“And my mother tried to stop them.”
“Yes.”
“What happened to her?”
Martin didn’t answer.
Vivian’s voice shook.
“What happened to my mother?”
“She found the original deed.”
“Where?”
“Room seventeen.”
Vivian looked at the key.
Martin continued.
“She intended to expose the agreement.”
“Then why didn’t she?”
“Because the night she was going to do it, she died.”
Vivian stepped back.
“You said her death was an accident.”
Martin looked away.
“I said nothing.”
“Who killed her?”
“I don’t know.”
“But you suspect someone.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Martin whispered:
“Your father.”
Vivian couldn’t breathe.
She left the room.
The next morning, she went to see Richard.
She placed the key on his desk.
He looked at it.
Then he closed his eyes.
“You found it.”
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“Did you kill Mom?”
Richard’s face collapsed.
“No.”
“Did you forge her signature?”
He looked at the floor.
“Yes.”
Vivian felt tears burn her eyes.
“Why?”
“To save the hotel.”
“You destroyed her life to save a building.”
“I thought I was saving everyone.”
“Did she know?”
“She discovered what I had done.”
“And then?”
“We fought.”
“What happened that night?”
Richard couldn’t answer.
Vivian waited.
Finally, he said:
“She left the hotel alive.”
That was all.
Vivian stood.
“Then someone else knows what happened.”
Richard looked at her.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
His voice was barely audible.
“Your mother.”
