Chapter 7: The Woman Behind the Voice
The voice came again through the speakers.
“Welcome home, Dante.””
Dante stared at the black monitor.
He knew that voice.
Not from recent years.
From childhood.
From the nights when his father would lock the office door and tell his sons that certain family matters were never to be discussed outside those walls.
Marcus whispered, “No.””
Dante turned toward him.
“You know her.””
Marcus shook his head.
“I know the voice.””
Victoria was trembling.
Elena looked between them.
“Who is she?””
Marcus didn't answer.
Dante did.
“My father's attorney.””
Marcus looked at him sharply.
“Claudia?””
Dante nodded.
“Claudia Reed.””
Victoria's eyes widened.
“But she died.””
Marcus gave a bitter laugh.
“Apparently everyone in this family is very good at dying.””
The speakers crackled.
“Still making jokes, Marcus?””
Marcus stepped toward the nearest camera.
“Show yourself.””
A woman's laugh echoed through the archive.
“Why ruin the surprise?””
Dante searched the walls.
“Where's my brother?””
“You mean Caleb?””
“Yes.””
“He's close.””
“Bring him here.””
“No.””
Dante's jaw tightened.
“Then I'll come to him.””
“You already are.””
A metallic click sounded behind them.
The steel door opened.
Beyond it was a narrow concrete corridor.
At the end, a single red light glowed.
Victoria grabbed Dante's sleeve.
“Don't.””
He looked down at her hand.
“Why?””
“Because that's what she wants.””
Dante pulled free.
“Good.””
He stepped into the corridor.
Marcus followed.
Elena hesitated.
Victoria whispered, “Stay here.””
Elena looked at her.
“You're the reason we're here.””
Victoria flinched.
“I know.””
“No,” Elena said.
“You don't.””
Victoria stared at her.
Elena's voice shook, but she continued.
“You threatened my brother. You poisoned Dante. You brought us into this.””
“I never wanted anyone to die.””
“You still did it.””
Victoria lowered her eyes.
“Yes.””
The admission seemed to drain the strength from her.
Elena turned away.
“Then help us.””
Victoria looked up.
“How?””
“Stop being afraid of her.””
Victoria swallowed.
Then followed them.
The corridor narrowed as they walked.
Dante noticed markings scratched into the walls.
Names.
Hundreds of them.
Some crossed out.
Some followed by dates.
Marcus ran his fingers over one.
“This was where Dad kept records.””
Dante stopped.
“Records of what?””
“Everyone who owed him.””
“And everyone who betrayed him?””
Marcus looked at him.
“Especially them.””
A door stood ahead.
Number 18.
Dante tried the handle.
Locked.
Victoria stepped forward.
“Move.””
She reached into her purse.
Dante looked at her suspiciously.
She pulled out a small silver key.
“I was given this six months ago.””
“You never told me.””
“I was afraid.””
She inserted it.
The lock clicked.
The door opened.
Inside was a small room with a chair in the center.
Empty.
Dante's eyes moved immediately to the floor.
A single drop of blood.
Fresh.
Marcus crouched.
“He was here.””
A monitor on the wall turned on.
Caleb appeared again.
This time, the camera showed a larger room.
He sat bound to a chair.
Behind him stood an enormous steel vault.
A woman entered the frame.
Black woman.
Late fifties.
Silver hair.
Black suit.
Perfect posture.
Dante recognized her.
“Claudia.””
She smiled.
“Hello, Dante.””
“Release Caleb.””
“You haven't earned that.””
“Tell me what you want.””
“The ledger.””
“You already have access to it.””
“No.””
Her smile disappeared.
“I have access to everything except the one thing your father trusted you to protect.””
Dante looked at Marcus.
Marcus whispered, “The inheritance.””
Claudia nodded.
“The family money isn't what your father left you.””
Dante frowned.
“What then?””
“The truth.””
Claudia turned toward Caleb.
“Your father discovered that someone inside the family had been selling information to federal investigators.””
Dante's eyes narrowed.
“Who?””
Claudia looked directly at him.
“That is what the ledger reveals.””
Marcus stepped closer to the monitor.
“You're lying.””
“Am I?””
Claudia smiled.
“Your father didn't trust you, Dante. He trusted Marcus.””
Dante looked at his brother.
Marcus's face tightened.
Claudia continued.
“That's why Marcus was supposed to inherit the archive.””
Dante turned.
“You knew?””
Marcus shook his head.
“I knew Dad had something. I didn't know this.””
Claudia's voice softened.
“Your father knew one son was loyal.””
She paused.
“And one son was vulnerable.””
Dante's eyes moved toward Victoria.
Claudia smiled.
“Victoria.””
Victoria stiffened.
“You used me.””
“I gave you a choice.””
“You threatened Caleb.””
“I reminded you what family costs.””
Victoria stepped toward the monitor.
“You promised you wouldn't hurt him.””
“I promised nothing.””
Dante turned toward her.
“You knew she was behind this?””
Victoria's tears began falling.
“I knew there was someone.””
“Who?””
“I didn't know it was Claudia.””
Claudia laughed.
“Of course you didn't.””
Then the monitor changed.
A second video appeared.
It showed Dante's father sitting behind his desk.
Alive.
Older.
Serious.
Dante stopped breathing.
His father's recorded voice filled the corridor.
“If you're watching this, Dante, then the family has already begun to fall apart.””
Dante stared at the screen.
His father continued.
“Trust no one who tells you Marcus betrayed you.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
Dante looked at him.
The recording continued.
“And never trust the woman who claims she loves you simply because she knows your weaknesses.””
Dante slowly turned toward Victoria.
She shook her head.
“I didn't know about this.””
The recording stopped.
Claudia returned to the screen.
“Now you understand.””
Dante stepped toward the monitor.
“Where's the ledger?””
Claudia smiled.
“You're standing on it.””
Dante looked down.
The concrete floor suddenly seemed different.
Marcus noticed a seam.
“Dante.””
They moved the old metal table.
Beneath it was a hidden compartment.
Dante opened it.
Inside was a black leather ledger.
He picked it up.
Claudia spoke through the speakers.
“Read page one.””
Dante opened it.
The first page contained names.
Politicians.
Judges.
Police officials.
Business owners.
Then one name stopped him.
His own.
Underneath it was a date.
And beside the date:
*PAID TO ELIMINATE DANTE REED — $2,000,000.*
Dante's face hardened.
Marcus leaned closer.
“Who signed it?””
Dante looked at the bottom.
His hand tightened around the page.
“It was signed by…”
The lights suddenly went out.
A gunshot exploded in the darkness.
May you like
Marcus screamed.
And when the emergency lights returned, the ledger was gone.
