Chapter 5 - Uncle Colin Comes to Dinner
Colin Whitaker arrived at 6:58 carrying a bottle of Bordeaux and wearing the same gray cashmere coat he had worn to Richard Whitaker’s funeral.
At sixty-three, Colin had perfected the appearance of harmless wealth.
Silver hair.
Measured smile.
Quiet voice.
He hugged Miles, kissed Vivian’s cheek, and handed Graham the wine.
If he noticed the tension, he did not show it.
During dinner, Colin told Miles a ridiculous story about Graham getting lost at Disney World when he was eight.
Vivian laughed at the appropriate moments.
Graham watched his uncle’s eyes.
Twice they moved toward the basement door.
After Miles went upstairs, Colin accepted a whiskey in the library.
“I’ll get to the point,” he said.
“I wish you would.”
Colin smiled.
“Elias Vale has been contacting former Whitaker employees.”
“You said legal found his name.”
“They did.”
“How?”
“One of those employees called us.”
“Who?”
“I can’t disclose that.”
Graham almost laughed.
“You’re speaking to the CEO.”
“You’re speaking as Elias Vale’s son-in-law.”
The room went cold.
Vivian stiffened.
Graham said nothing.
Colin looked at her.
“Hello, Sarah.”
Vivian went white.
Graham’s hands tightened around his glass.
“You knew?”
Colin gave a sad smile.
“For years.”
“Since when?” Graham asked.
“Before your wedding.”
Graham stared.
“You knew who she was and said nothing?”
“I hoped she had moved on.”
Vivian stood.
“You had me followed.”
“I had you checked.”
“Why?”
“You were marrying my nephew.”
Graham stepped between them.
“What did the investigation show?”
“That Vivian Shaw had legally changed her name from Sarah Vale after leaving graduate school.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
Colin’s face softened.
“You loved her.”
“That is your excuse?”
“No. My reason was more selfish.”
He sipped his whiskey.
“I thought Sarah might eventually lead us to Elias.”
Vivian’s expression hardened.
“So you watched me for ten years.”
“Occasionally.”
“Did you force him off the road?”
Colin looked genuinely surprised.
“What?”
Vivian described the incident.
Colin’s face changed.
“If that happened, you should call the police.”
“Would you?”
“Immediately.”
Graham studied him.
Colin was either innocent or extremely skilled.
Possibly both.
Then Colin said something unexpected.
“Richard should have told the truth fourteen years ago.”
Graham stared.
“What truth?”
“That Elias did not take all the money.”
Vivian stepped closer.
“How much did he take?”
Elias had insisted he took none.
Colin looked at her with something almost resembling pity.
“Ask your father about the two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”
Vivian’s face went blank.
“What are you talking about?”
“He knows.”
Colin set down his glass.
“Nora knows too.”
Graham remembered Nora’s careful wording.
Elias had committed crimes.
Not the crime for which he was convicted.
“What was the money for?” Vivian asked.
Colin buttoned his coat.
“That is a conversation you should have with your father.”
“Colin.”
He paused at the door.
Then looked directly at Graham.
“There are no innocent people in the Vale scandal.”
He shifted his eyes to Vivian.
“And fewer innocent Whitakers.”
After he left, Vivian went downstairs without speaking.
Graham followed.
Elias was sitting at the table.
Vivian threw the door open.
“What was the two hundred and fifty thousand?”
Elias’s face collapsed.
Nora closed her eyes.
Vivian whispered, “You told me you never took money.”
“I never stole money.”
“What did you take?”
Elias stood slowly.
“A payment.”
“For what?”
He looked at his daughter.
“For keeping quiet.”
Vivian’s expression broke.
“You let me spend fourteen years believing you were framed because you tried to expose them.”
“I was framed.”
“You were paid.”
“Yes.”
“By who?”
Elias looked at Graham.
“Richard Whitaker.”
Graham felt the air leave the room.
“What did my father pay you to keep quiet about?”
Elias answered.
May you like
“The Vale ownership.”
And Vivian finally understood that the father she had spent half her life trying to vindicate had helped bury the very secret she was fighting to uncover.
