Chapter 32 - The Night of the Confession

It was an extremely confidential meeting at a solicitors.

Isabella wasn't present during the first meeting.

Elliot had met with Margaret and the newspaper's legal advisor, and his story had been recorded by an independent investigator.

Alexander waited with Isabella in her apartment and the silence was becoming increasingly oppressive.

However, eventually the phone rang and Margaret spoke.

"We've got a statement."

Isabella stood up.

"What did he say?"

"He said that he had collected the ledgers for Richard Vale and they said they would be held temporarily whilst there was an accounting issue within the club."

"Did he know what they contained?"

"He said that he found out that they contained payments to Meridian that weren't well documented and he became worried so copied several pages."

Isabella felt her heart start to pound.

"Does he still have the copies?"

"Yes and he will give them to the investigators."

"What about the originals?"

"He said that he handed them over to a secure storage unit for Vale, however several months later he was told to move them again. He is unsure where they are now."

"Does he know who told him to move them?"

"Richard Vale."

Isabella closed her eyes.

The evidence had been passed from place to place over the last 7 years meaning that there was even more distance between the wrongdoers and those who had approved of it.

However, there was now someone who could directly link Vale to the evidence.

"Thank you."

Alexander turned to Isabella.

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Alexander looked concerned.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Alexander."

He looked up.

"I've been thinking about Daniel and how hard it must have been to leave everything."

"You can't really know how it felt."

"No, I can't. But I know how it feels to be terrified of losing your future and how quickly that can become an excuse."

Isabella sat beside him.

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"Sometimes."

"You made a terrible decision when you were 17 and have been punishing yourself for years. But Daniel is safe and you can actually do something useful."

Alexander looked down at his hands.

"I want to tell him that I'm sorry."

"He knows."

"I want him to believe me."

"You can't control that."

He was quiet for a moment.

"There's something else."

Isabella's stomach dropped.

She was beginning to fear there was another secret.

"What?"

Alexander pulled a small envelope from his pocket.

"I found this in some of my old academy stuff. I kept it after Daniel went missing."

He handed it to Isabella.

Inside was a photo of two teenage boys on a training pitch. Alexander was smiling widely whilst putting his arm around Daniel who was holding a football. His hair was covering his forehead.

On the back Daniel wrote:

"Alex, one day we'll play in the biggest stadium in the world. Don't forget me!"

Isabella's eyes welled up.

"He gave this to you?"

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Alexander looked at the photo.

"I would always look at it when I was thinking about him. But then I would hide it away as it reminded me of what I hadn't done."

She looked at him.

"You don't have to hide it away anymore."

He shook his head.

"I don't know how to come to terms with it."

"Maybe you don't need to come to terms with it. Maybe you just need to stop running away from it."

He looked at her and his expression softened.

"I love you."

This time there was no fear.

"I love you too." Isabella leaned her head onto his shoulder.

They sat together until the light outside the window began to fade.

Later that evening, Daniel Mercer called.

"I heard about Elliot."

"It's being dealt with by the investigators. His statement might help us figure out what happened to the evidence."

He was quiet.

"Did he mention me?"

"He confirmed that the ledgers were moved after you left and he saw evidence that they weren't well documented."

He let out a slow breath.

"I was wondering for years if it was as bad as I thought."

"It wasn't."

"I know that now. But it's nice to hear it from someone else."

Isabella nodded.

"Have you considered giving a formal statement?"

"Yes. I'd like a solicitor there and to know how my information will be used."

"That's fair. We'll sort it."

She messaged Margaret to let her know Daniel was willing to co-operate.

She looked out of the window.

Although the truth was coming out, nothing could change the fact that Daniel had lost years of his life and they wouldn't get their childhood back that their father had tried so hard to protect.

Some things couldn't be undone.

However, for the first time they weren't the only people in control of the story.