Chapter 6 - Safehouse in New Haven
The SUV cut through the storm on Interstate 95, its windshield wipers struggling against the torrential downpour.
In the backseat, Leo had finally fallen asleep, his head resting against a soft fleece blanket Maria had wrapped around him.
Richard kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other gripping the edges of the dashboard in sheer adrenaline.
"Where are we going, Mr. Vance?" Maria asked softly, tending to the cut on her own hand with a napkin.
"We're going to a safehouse I bought in New Haven after I retired from the Navy," Richard replied, eyes fixed on the highway.
"No one in my family knows it exists. Not even my mother's private investigators."
Maria looked out the window at the flashing red lights of a passing state trooper, feeling a temporary sense of relief.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, sir," Maria said quietly, her voice laced with heavy guilt.
"She threatened to deport my younger brother if I spoke a word to you or the police."
Richard glanced at Maria through the rearview mirror, his heart aching with profound respect for her courage.
"You protected my son when I was too blind to see what was happening right under my own roof," Richard said earnestly.
"You don't need to apologize for anything, Maria. I owe you his life."
Forty minutes later, the SUV pulled into the driveway of a quiet, unassuming brick house near Yale University.
The property was surrounded by dense oak trees, hidden completely from the main road.
Richard unlocked the front door, disarming the silent security system before guiding Maria and sleeping Leo inside.
The living room was simple and clean, featuring a framed American flag hanging above a rustic stone fireplace.
Maria gently placed Leo onto the leather sofa, tucking him in safely.
Richard opened Eleanor's black ledger on the dining table, flipping through the handwritten pages under a warm lamp.
His face grew darker with every line he read.
"It's worse than I thought," Richard whispered, pointing to a bank account balance listed on the final page.
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"She didn't just target Leo. She's been siphoning millions from my late wife's charitable foundation for over three years."
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