Chapter 14: The Confession
Julian’s face was bruised.
One arm was wrapped in a dirty bandage.
But his hand remained steady around the gun.
Maya’s husband had not escaped Eleanor.
He had joined her.
“You left Grace in the mine,” I said.
“I saved her.”
“You kidnapped her.”
“I kept her away from my mother.”
Eleanor’s voice came through the speaker.
“Do not pretend to be noble, Julian.”
“You asked for half the company.”
Julian looked toward the ceiling.
“You promised it.”
“I promised to consider it.”
Caroline remained tied to the chair.
Blood marked the side of her face.
“Do not give them the key,” she said.
Julian struck her with the back of his hand.
I stepped forward.
“Touch her again and you lose the only thing keeping me here.”
He aimed the gun toward me.
“You think this is about your condo?”
“That was Mother’s obsession.”
“I want the companies.”
“The companies are collapsing.”
“Not all of them.”
“Offshore accounts.”
“Foreign properties.”
“Private funds.”
“There are hundreds of millions left.”
“And the encryption key gives you access?”
“It gives me leverage.”
Eleanor laughed through the speaker.
“My son finally learned ambition.”
Reyes and the tactical team were positioned outside.
I wore a transmitter beneath my shirt.
They could hear every word.
But they could not enter until Caroline’s children were located.
I held up the token.
“Where are the children?”
Julian nodded toward a monitor.
A live camera feed appeared.
Two children were sitting inside a vehicle.
The windows were closed.
The engine was running inside a small concrete room.
Exhaust fumes were beginning to gather.
“Give me the key,” Julian said.
I moved toward the table.
“First, open the garage door.”
“Key first.”
“Then the children die and you lose Caroline’s cooperation.”
“I do not need Caroline.”
“You do.”
“She created the copying system.”
“You need her passwords.”
Julian looked toward Caroline.
The hesitation confirmed I was right.
“Open the door,” I said.
He pressed a button on a remote.
On the monitor, the concrete garage door began rising.
Federal agents tracking the video feed located the structure.
It was less than a mile away.
The rescue team moved.
I placed the metal token on the table.
Julian reached for it.
Caroline kicked the table.
The token slid across the floor.
Julian lunged after it.
I rushed toward Caroline.
Gunfire erupted outside.
Julian grabbed the token and ran toward the rear exit.
A woman stepped from the shadows.
Eleanor.
She was holding another gun.
“Give it to me,” she ordered.
Julian laughed.
“You were never going to give me anything.”
“You were always the weakest child.”
“And Adrian?”
“Adrian was useful.”
“You were merely available.”
Julian raised his weapon.
For several seconds, mother and son stood facing one another.
Then Charles entered through the side door.
He looked older than he had at the dinner.
His hands were empty.
“Enough,” he said.
Eleanor stared at him.
“You should be in the hospital.”
“I discharged myself.”
“You always were a coward.”
“No.”
Charles looked toward Caroline.
“I was obedient.”
“That is worse.”
Julian moved toward the rear exit.
Eleanor fired.
The bullet struck his shoulder.
Julian fell.
Charles rushed toward him.
Eleanor aimed again.
I pulled Caroline and the chair behind a steel support.
Federal agents entered through the loading doors.
“Drop the weapon.”
Eleanor grabbed Charles and placed the gun against his throat.
“My husband and I are leaving.”
Charles closed his eyes.
“No, Eleanor.”
He drove his elbow into her ribs.
The gun fired.
Charles collapsed.
Agents tackled Eleanor.
Julian crawled toward the token.
Reyes kicked it away and handcuffed him.
Paramedics entered.
Charles had been shot near the abdomen.
He was alive.
Caroline’s children were rescued from the garage.
Eleanor was led toward a federal vehicle.
As she passed me, she smiled.
“You think Charles’s testimony will save you.”
“I do not need Charles.”
“No.”
Her smile widened.
“But you will.”
Before I could ask what she meant, agents placed her inside the vehicle.
At the hospital, Charles requested immunity in exchange for full cooperation.
Then he revealed Eleanor’s final defense.
Every major document carried his signature.
Every account belonged to him.
Every recorded order could be described as private marital conversation.
Eleanor had built the entire empire so that Charles would take the blame.
Unless he testified, she might walk free.
May you like
But Charles had one condition.
He wanted me to convince Lydia not to prosecute him for stealing Grace.
