Chapter 12: The Woman Who Sold Everyone Out
By the time I reached the hallway, Vanessa was gone.
The blue ledger had disappeared with her.
David was struggling with one of the security officers near the conference room entrance.
Sophie was crouched behind a table.
My mother was shouting at James.
I had a choice.
Follow Vanessa.
Or stop James.
I chose James.
He was heading toward the private elevator.
"Uncle James!""
He turned.
I threw myself forward.
We crashed against the wall.
His briefcase hit the floor, scattering documents across the carpet.
He struck my shoulder.
Pain shot down my arm.
"You should have stayed in London!"" he shouted.
I grabbed his jacket.
"You should have stayed out of my family!""
We struggled.
He was older, but stronger than I expected.
He drove his elbow into my ribs and pushed me away.
Then he reached inside his jacket.
David appeared behind him.
"Don't!""
James froze.
David had his weapon raised.
"Put your hands where I can see them.""
James slowly raised both hands.
I backed away, breathing hard.
"Where's Vanessa?""
James laughed.
"She has the ledger.""
"Where is she going?""
"Ask her.""
I pulled out my phone.
I called Emily.
"Track Vanessa's access card.""
"Mr. Carter, she just entered the executive parking garage.""
"Get the security team to lock the exits.""
"Already doing it.""
I turned toward James.
"You're finished.""
He smiled.
"You still don't understand.""
"Explain it to me.""
He looked toward the conference room.
"Your father built a company that could reach into almost every major financial institution in the country. You think this is about twenty-three million dollars?""
I said nothing.
"The money was a test. The real business was information. Your father discovered who was paying whom, which politicians were compromised, and which officials could be controlled.""
"That's why you killed him?""
"That's why he became a liability.""
My stomach tightened.
James continued.
"Your father wanted to expose everyone. He thought doing the right thing would save the company.""
"And you thought killing him would save yourself.""
James smiled.
"Your father was always sentimental.""
David tightened his grip on James's arm.
"Move.""
We took him into the conference room.
Sophie was standing beside my mother.
She looked at me.
"Is he under arrest?""
"Not yet.""
James laughed.
"You can't arrest me without evidence.""
I looked at him.
"We have your confession.""
He smiled wider.
"To what? A conversation? You think that's enough?""
I glanced at David.
He shook his head slightly.
James noticed.
"Exactly.""
Then the conference room doors opened.
Richard Hale walked in.
His face was bruised.
A small bandage covered his forehead.
But he was alive.
I stared at him.
"Richard?""
He nodded.
"I'm sorry I'm late.""
James's expression changed.
"What are you doing here?""
Richard placed a small digital recorder on the table.
"Making sure you don't get away with it this time.""
James tried to move.
David stopped him.
Richard pressed play.
A familiar voice filled the room.
James.
Your father was supposed to step aside. Richard handled the situation.
Then another voice.
Richard's own.
You told me he would only be unconscious.
James replied:
And you believed me?
The recording continued.
Richard had apparently captured their conversation during the confrontation at the country club.
James had admitted enough to make his position extremely difficult to defend.
But Richard wasn't finished.
He placed another device on the table.
"This is from your father's study.""
I stared at him.
"The recording you mentioned?""
He nodded.
"Your father installed a hidden camera behind his bookcase. I found the backup file this morning.""
He connected the device.
The screen showed my father's study.
The timestamp read 10:42 p.m.
My father was sitting at his desk.
He looked weak.
He was holding a glass of water.
The door opened.
James entered.
My father looked up.
"You're late.""
James closed the door.
"I needed to make sure Eleanor had left.""
My mother covered her mouth.
The recording continued.
My father stood.
"You told me Sophie was safe.""
"She is.""
"Then why won't you tell me where she is?""
James smiled.
"Because you no longer have anything to offer me.""
My father looked toward the camera.
Then back at James.
"Is this about the shares?""
James removed a small bottle from his pocket.
My stomach turned.
He poured something into the glass.
My father saw it.
He stepped back.
"What are you doing?""
James looked at him.
"Ending a very expensive disagreement.""
The recording showed my father trying to reach the door.
James blocked him.
There was a struggle.
The glass fell.
Water spread across the carpet.
Then the recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
My mother collapsed into a chair.
Sophie held her hand.
I looked at James.
"You poisoned him.""
James stared at the screen.
For the first time, he looked frightened.
Richard continued.
"There's more.""
He opened another file.
A second recording appeared.
This one showed the hallway outside my father's study.
James walked out at 11:06 p.m.
He was carrying the small bottle.
Then another person entered the hallway.
Vanessa Reed.
She looked directly at the camera.
And she walked into my father's study.
I felt my stomach drop.
"She was there too.""
Richard nodded.
"She removed the original security recording and replaced it with a false version.""
My mother looked up.
"Why?""
"Because she was the person who arranged the financial transfers after your father's death.""
I turned toward the door.
"Where is she now?""
Emily appeared in the doorway.
"Mr. Carter, there's a problem.""
"What?""
"Vanessa's access card was used to enter the executive garage, but she never left the building.""
"Then where is she?""
Emily looked at the security monitor.
"She's in the CEO's private office.""
I frowned.
"My office?""
Emily nodded.
"She's accessing your father's old computer.""
I started walking.
David followed.
Sophie caught my hand.
"Marcus, wait.""
I turned.
She looked frightened.
"She sent me something before the meeting.""
"What?""
Sophie opened her phone.
A message from Vanessa.
If you want to know why your father really died, ask Marcus what happened the night your mother disappeared.
I looked at her.
"What does that mean?""
Sophie shook her head.
"She also sent me a photograph.""
She showed me the screen.
It was an old family picture.
My father.
My mother.
Me.
And a little girl standing beside me.
I recognized the girl.
Sophie.
But someone had written a message across the photograph in red ink.
One child was taken. The other was supposed to die.
I looked at my mother.
She was staring at the photograph.
Her lips trembled.
"Marcus," she whispered.
"What?""
She took my hand.
"When you were seventeen, the night I supposedly died...""
She struggled to finish.
"James didn't just arrange my disappearance.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"What else did he do?""
My mother looked directly into my eyes.
"He tried to kill you too.""
Before I could respond, the building's emergency alarm sounded.
The lights went red.
A security announcement echoed through the speakers.
"Attention. All personnel evacuate the building immediately.""
Emily looked at her phone.
"Mr. Carter, the fire system has been activated manually.""
I turned toward the corridor.
From somewhere inside my office came a loud explosion.
May you like
Then smoke began pouring beneath the door.
And Vanessa Reed was still inside.
