Chapter 11 - Helena’s Confession
Evelyn found Helena before Victor did.
Or Helena allowed herself to be found.
Roman never learned which.
She was hiding in a roadside motel two counties away.
No jewelry.
No driver.
No security.
The woman who once controlled rooms simply by entering them was sitting on the edge of a cheap bed when Roman arrived.
“Where is page forty-one?”
No greeting.
No accusation.
Helena looked tired.
“You really are your father’s son.”
Roman shut the door.
“Where is it?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“I will tell you after Sophie’s birthday.”
Roman stared.
“That isn’t happening.”
“You still don’t understand.”
“Then make me understand.”
Helena looked at Evelyn.
“Leave us.”
Roman shook his head.
“She stays.”
Helena almost smiled.
“You finally learned something.”
Roman did not respond.
She opened a bottle of water.
Her hand trembled slightly.
“Arthur created the Circle.”
Roman froze.
Not what he expected.
“You said the Circle killed him.”
“It did.”
“Both can be true.”
Helena looked at the stained motel carpet.
“Thirty years ago, Vale Holdings was nearly bankrupt.”
“Arthur needed government contracts.”
“Permits.”
“Judges.”
“Bankers.”
“He began paying people.”
“At first it was ordinary corruption.”
Roman’s jaw tightened.
“There is nothing ordinary about corruption.”
“Your father would have disagreed.”
She continued.
“The network grew.”
“Arthur stopped controlling it.”
“It became useful to other people.”
“Then people began dying.”
Roman thought of his father’s recording.
The worst thing I ever did was help that person build it.
“Who expanded it?”
Helena looked at him.
“I did.”
Silence.
Roman stared at his mother.
“You?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Arthur was reckless.”
“I made it disciplined.”
Roman felt disgust.
“You’re telling me you ran this thing?”
“For years.”
“Bribes?”
“Yes.”
“Threats?”
“Yes.”
“Murders?”
Helena’s eyes shifted.
Roman stepped closer.
“Murders?”
“I never ordered one.”
“That is not what I asked.”
Helena whispered.
“I knew.”
Roman looked away.
The confession was worse than he expected.
“You knew people were being killed.”
“Yes.”
“And did nothing.”
“I tried to shut it down.”
“When?”
“After you were born.”
Roman laughed bitterly.
“That was thirty-five years ago.”
“It took years.”
“Arthur resisted.”
“Victor resisted.”
“Others resisted.”
“Then your father found out the Circle had begun using Vale companies without either of us.”
Roman turned.
“Someone else took control.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Helena looked toward the window.
“That name was on page forty-one.”
Roman’s heartbeat changed.
“Where is the page?”
“I burned it.”
Roman stared.
“You what?”
“I memorized the name.”
“Tell me.”
“No.”
Roman grabbed the edge of the table.
“People are trying to kill my daughter.”
“That is why I won’t tell you.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It will.”
Helena looked directly at him.
“The name was Claire Vale.”
Roman stopped.
“No.”
Evelyn remained silent.
Helena continued.
“You wanted the truth.”
“No.”
“You wanted a villain who wasn’t someone you loved.”
Roman shook his head.
“Claire was twenty-four when she married me.”
“She was twenty-seven when Sophie was born.”
“You’re saying she took control of a criminal network created before she was born?”
“No.”
“I’m saying Claire Vale is not Claire’s real name.”
Roman stared.
“Her name was Claire Mercer.”
“Also false.”
Helena reached into her coat.
She removed an old photograph.
A teenage girl stood beside Victor Shaw.
Roman recognized Claire instantly.
She looked about sixteen.
On the back was a name.
CATHERINE SHAW.
Roman’s breathing stopped.
“Victor’s sister?”
“Half sister.”
“No.”
“Claire entered your life deliberately.”
Roman dropped the photograph.
“No.”
“She worked for Arthur before she met you.”
“No.”
“She knew about the Circle.”
“Stop.”
“She was assigned to get close to you.”
Roman slammed one hand against the wall.
“Stop.”
Helena fell silent.
Roman closed his eyes.
Memories shifted.
The coffee shop where he supposedly met Claire by accident.
Her surprise when he introduced himself.
Her reluctance to date him.
Had any of it been real?
Evelyn finally spoke.
“Do you have proof?”
Helena nodded toward the photograph.
“That proves they knew each other.”
“Not that she ran the Circle.”
Helena reached for her phone.
She played an audio recording.
Claire’s voice.
Older.
Cold.
“If Roman finds out, everything Arthur built collapses.”
Victor responded.
“Then we keep him grieving.”
Claire again.
“And Sophie?”
Victor laughed.
“She’s insurance.”
The recording ended.
Roman felt physically sick.
“When was that recorded?”
“Seven years ago.”
Roman whispered.
“She was alive.”
“Yes.”
“She was talking to Victor.”
“Yes.”
Roman looked at Helena.
“Why keep protecting Claire?”
“Because she was also trying to destroy the Circle from inside.”
Roman blinked.
“What?”
Helena sighed.
“Nothing in this story is clean.”
“Claire was recruited by Victor when she was young.”
“She married you because she was told to.”
“But then she fell in love with you.”
Roman stared at her.
“And Sophie?”
“She changed everything.”
Helena’s voice softened.
“When Claire realized Victor intended to use Sophie, she turned against him.”
Roman sat down.
For the first time he looked exhausted rather than angry.
“So Claire lied.”
“Yes.”
“She helped Victor.”
“Yes.”
“She also protected Sophie.”
“Yes.”
“And you?”
Helena looked at him.
“I helped create the monster that came after her.”
Roman asked the only question that mattered.
“Where is Victor now?”
Helena answered.
“I don’t know.”
The motel window shattered.
Evelyn shoved Roman down.
A gunshot tore through the wall.
Helena fell.
“Mom!”
Roman crawled toward her.
Blood spread across Helena’s shoulder.
Evelyn fired toward the window.
Tires screamed outside.
Roman pressed his hand against Helena’s wound.
“Stay with me.”
Helena gripped his wrist.
“Roman.”
“Don’t talk.”
“Listen.”
She struggled to breathe.
“Sophie’s birthday.”
“I know.”
“No.”
“You don’t.”
Her fingers tightened.
“The trust isn’t the real target.”
Roman stared.
“What is?”
Helena whispered.
May you like
“Sophie’s memory.”
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