Chapter 12 - THE LETTER TO MIA AND LEOSophia’s letter contained no password.
Nolan had abducted Leo for words he imagined more valuable than they were.
The encrypted files used a code held by an independent attorney.
Sophia deliberately kept it away from the children.
She never intended them to carry evidence.
Her letter said:
My beautiful Mia and Leo,
If you are reading this, adults may have tried to make you responsible for secrets they created.
You are not.
Mia, noticing danger does not mean you must solve it alone.
Leo, trusting someone does not make their betrayal your fault.
Your father loves you.
He also trusts people longer than he should.
Tell him the truth even if he is late to hear it.
Marcus, if you are reading over their shoulders, stop.
The children laughed for the first time in weeks.
I looked away.
Mia continued reading.
Home is not the house, the photographs or the company.
Home is the place where no one has to become smaller to keep someone else comfortable.
Build that place for each other.
Love,
Mom.
Leo pressed the letter against his chest.
“Can we go home now?”
The mansion remained a crime scene.
May you like
But he did not mean the building.
“We can build one.”
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