Chapter 6
The three names were simple.
Marco.
Vincent.
And Vincent’s longtime driver, Cole Harris.
Marco had received Sarah’s photograph while riding with Cole after a meeting.
He had opened the message.
Cole had seen the name.
That was all Vincent needed.
I asked Marco one question.
“Why didn’t you tell me after Vincent contacted her?”
“I didn’t know he did.”
I believed him.
Not because loyalty erased mistakes.
Because his face looked like a man realizing his mistake had grown teeth.
Lily tugged my sleeve.
“Is Uncle Vincent bad?”
I hated the question.
Not because I did not know the answer.
Because she had learned too early that family titles could hide danger.
“I don’t know everything yet.”
She looked at me.
“But you’re going to?”
“Yes.”
She nodded.
That was enough.
Sarah’s next clip showed Rebecca.
Lily’s aunt stood in a kitchen arguing with Grant.
The video appeared to have been filmed secretly from a counter.
Rebecca whispered, “They’re children.”
Grant answered, “Then Sarah should hand it over.”
“What if she doesn’t?”
“Then stop making life comfortable.”
Rebecca looked sick.
Grant continued.
“No formula without money. No groceries unless Lily asks properly. Let Sarah see what stubbornness costs.”
I stopped the recording.
Lily looked down.
Rebecca had not been innocent.
But she had not begun where Grant did either.
That mattered.
Abuse often needed assistants who told themselves they were only following someone harsher.
I pressed play.
Rebecca whispered, “Vincent said nobody gets hurt.”
Grant laughed.
“Vincent says whatever keeps you useful.”
I looked at Marco.
There it was.
The name.
Not implication anymore.
Vincent Mercer had reached into Sarah’s home through Grant and Rebecca.
The starvation had not started because Grant hated children.
May you like
It started because a Mercer wanted silence.
Grant simply discovered he enjoyed the power.
