Chapter 2 - Victor Said the Key Was None of Sarah’s Business
The yacht returned to the marina immediately.
Sarah would not remain aboard one minute longer than necessary.
A crew member helped her and Lucas onto the dock after both were checked and given dry clothing. Lucas had swallowed some seawater and was badly frightened, but he had no visible injury and recovered quickly once Sarah wrapped him in a blanket.
Victor tried twice to speak to him.
Sarah stopped him both times.
“Not now.”
Eleanor said nothing.
That frightened Sarah almost more.
Her husband, James Reed, arrived twenty minutes later.
He had remained at the family estate that afternoon for a financing meeting and had expected Sarah and Lucas back before dinner. By the time he reached the marina, Sarah was sitting beside Lucas in the harbor office with the small silver key still zipped inside her wet handbag.
James crouched in front of his son first.
“You okay?”
Lucas nodded.
Then began crying again.
Sarah explained what happened.
The fall.
Victor restraining her.
Eleanor’s words.
The slap.
The jump.
Then the key.
James looked toward his parents through the glass wall.
Victor was watching them.
“What key?”
Sarah took it out.
The black tag no longer beeped, but the small red light flashed every few seconds.
James recognized the tag.
“That’s a marine locator.”
“What does it locate?”
“Usually nothing complicated. It floats, flashes if wet, helps you find keys after they go overboard.”
Sarah looked at him.
“So the tag isn’t the secret.”
“No.”
James took the silver key carefully.
His expression changed.
“But I know the key.”
Sarah’s pulse quickened.
“To what?”
Victor entered before James could answer.
“Give it to me.”
James stood.
“Why?”
“It’s mine.”
“Lucas says you dropped it.”
“I did.”
“Then where?”
Victor looked at Sarah.
“That has nothing to do with her.”
James’s face hardened.
“She just jumped into the Pacific after our son while you were holding her back. Everything about today has something to do with her.”
Victor glanced toward Lucas.
“He shouldn’t have had it.”
Sarah stood.
“He picked it up because you dropped it.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
Then James looked back at the key.
“I haven’t seen one of these in years.”
Sarah asked again:
“What does it open?”
James looked at his father.
Then answered.
“The old records locker in the yacht’s owner cabin.”
Victor’s face confirmed it.
James continued.
“Dad had it sealed after Grandpa died.”
“Why?”
Victor cut in.
“Because private family records are private.”
James stared at him.
“Then why were you carrying the key today?”
No answer.
For the first time, James seemed to understand that his father had not simply lost an old key.
May you like
Victor had recently opened something he had spent years keeping closed.
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