CHAPTER 6 — A FATHER'S LAST MESSAGE
CHAPTER 6 — A FATHER'S LAST MESSAGE
The garage was silent.
Only the soft hum of the old computer filled the office as Mason stared at the folder.
FOR VIVIAN — OPEN ONLY IF I DON'T MAKE IT.
The creation date sat beneath it.
Six days before Harrison Hartwell's death.
Walt leaned over Mason's shoulder.
“You should call her.”
Mason didn't move.
“What if this changes everything?”
Walt looked at the screen.
“I think that's exactly why Harrison made it.”
Charlotte.
Vivian sat alone in her father's office.
She hadn't gone home in two days.
Financial reports covered one side of her desk.
Her father's journal lay open on the other.
Between them sat a single photograph.
She was twelve years old.
Her father had grease on his hands as he lifted her into the cockpit of a race car.
Back then, he'd told her something she never forgot.
"Never trust someone who talks about engines without getting their hands dirty."
At the time, she'd laughed.
Now...
She wondered if he'd been trying to teach her something far more important.
Her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered anyway.
“This is Vivian Hartwell.”
“Mason Cole.”
She sat upright.
Neither spoke for several seconds.
Finally Mason broke the silence.
“I found something that belongs to you.”
Vivian's heartbeat quickened.
“What is it?”
“A video.”
“From who?”
“Your father.”
An hour later...
A black SUV stopped outside Cole's Garage.
This time, Vivian came alone.
No lawyers.
No security.
No assistants.
She stepped inside quietly.
For the first time, she really looked around.
The shop was spotless.
Every tool hung exactly where it belonged.
Every workbench was organized.
Nothing about the place looked careless.
Ellie peeked around the office door.
“Hi.”
Vivian smiled gently.
“Hello.”
“You're the lady who gave Dad the engines.”
The words stung more than Vivian expected.
“Yes.”
“I like them.”
Vivian managed a small smile.
“I can see that.”
Mason placed the old laptop on the workbench.
“I haven't watched it.”
Vivian looked surprised.
“You didn't?”
“It wasn't meant for me.”
She looked at him for a long moment.
Then pressed Play.
The screen flickered.
Harrison Hartwell appeared.
He looked tired.
Older than Vivian remembered.
But his eyes were steady.
“If you're watching this, Vivi...”
Her breath caught.
He hadn't called her that since she was a teenager.
“...then something has happened, and I wasn't here to explain.”
He smiled sadly.
“You're probably angry with me.”
“I deserve some of that.”
“But there are things you need to know.”
He held up a blueprint.
“The P7 engine works.”
Vivian glanced instinctively toward Mason.
He said nothing.
Harrison continued.
“Mason Cole solved every problem we ever had.”
“He didn't fail.”
“I failed... because I couldn't protect him.”
Vivian felt tears forming.
“When Laura became ill, the board froze Mason's severance during a legal dispute.”
“I fought them.”
“I lost.”
“He left because his family needed him.”
“Not because he gave up.”
Harrison paused.
Then looked directly into the camera.
“If anyone ever tells you Mason abandoned this company...”
“They're lying.”
“He built the finest engine our company has ever produced.”
“And I was proud to call him family.”
Silence filled the garage.
Vivian covered her mouth.
She had never heard her father speak about anyone with such admiration.
The video wasn't over.
Harrison leaned closer.
“There is something else.”
“The board has been manipulating engineering reports.”
“They care more about quarterly profits than long-term innovation.”
“I've gathered evidence.”
“If I don't finish exposing them...”
“Mason will know where to find it.”
Vivian looked sharply at Mason.
“You know?”
He slowly nodded.
“I think I do now.”
The video ended.
Nobody spoke.
Finally Vivian whispered,
“I was wrong.”
Mason looked at her calmly.
“Yes.”
“I judged you before I knew anything.”
“Yes.”
“I threw away your life's work.”
“Yes.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I'm sorry.”
The apology hung in the air.
Mason studied her face.
He saw no arrogance.
No pride.
Only regret.
After a long silence, he finally answered.
“I believe you.”
Ellie quietly walked over.
She tugged on Vivian's sleeve.
“My mom used to say something.”
Vivian knelt beside her.
“What did she say?”
“When grown-ups make mistakes...”
“The brave ones say sorry.”
“And the really brave ones fix them.”
Vivian smiled through her tears.
“Your mom was very wise.”
“She was.”
Just then...
The garage phone rang.
Walt answered.
His expression changed immediately.
“Mason.”
“What?”
“You need to hear this.”
He switched the call to speaker.
Frank Delaney's voice came through, breathless.
“They know.”
Mason frowned.
“Who?”
“The board.”
“How?”
“Someone broke into my storage unit.”
Everyone froze.
“They took every backup disk...”
Frank paused.
“…except the one I gave you yesterday.”
Mason looked at the laptop.
Vivian looked at Mason.
Someone had been destroying evidence for years.
And they had just realized...
One copy had survived.
Before anyone could speak again—
A loud crash echoed from outside.
The front window of the garage exploded inward.
Glass showered across the concrete floor.
Ellie screamed.
Mason pulled her behind the workbench.
A black SUV sped away down the road.
On the garage floor, surrounded by broken glass, lay a single brick wrapped in paper.
Vivian slowly picked it up.
May you like
Written in thick black marker were six chilling words.
STOP DIGGING... OR YOU'RE NEXT.
