Chapter 11 - The Secret Of Well Number Four
Safe in the boat's lower cabin, Elena wrapped a dry blanket around her shoulders while Martha set the autopilot toward Bimini.
The cabin was warm, smelling of stale coffee, old diesel fuel, and sea salt.
Martha set two mugs of hot black tea on the table, looking at her bruised niece with deep, maternal sorrow.
"I told your mother that marrying Richard Vance would be the death of our family," Martha spoke softly.
"He was never a public servant, Elena. He was brought into government by the Sterling Syndicate out of Houston."
Elena set the dark mahogany box on the table between them, opening the lid to reveal the gleaming gold star.
"Why did he keep this badge, Aunt Martha?" Elena asked. "He hasn't worked an active field case in thirty years."
Martha reached out, pressing a hidden spring along the velvet lining of the dark mahogany box.
The bottom wood panel popped open, revealing a yellowed, handwritten land grant document dated 1972.
"Because that badge isn't just an award, Elena," Martha revealed, holding the fragile paper up to the cabin lamp.
"It's the original deed to Well Number Four on the old Vance estate in Kerrville, Texas."
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"Your father didn't build his political empire on Wall Street money," Martha added, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"He built it on the federal evidence buried fifty feet beneath that abandoned Texas oil derrick."
