Chapter 9 - THE PHONE THAT COULD BURY THEM ALL
Ethan had escaped on his own.
Of course he had.
The boy I spent nine years worrying about had apparently decided to become reckless at exactly the worst possible time.
He stood above the ballroom holding Vincent’s phone.
Vincent saw him.
“Stop.”
Every head turned.
Ethan smiled without humor.
“You should really use a better password.”
Vincent moved toward the staircase.
Adrian blocked him.
“What’s on the phone?”
Ethan came downstairs.
“Messages.”
“To who?”
“Vanessa.”
Vincent’s face hardened.
Ethan handed Adrian the device.
Messages filled the screen.
Payments.
Meeting locations.
Instructions.
And one conversation dated nine years earlier.
VANESSA:
Michael has become a problem.
VINCENT:
I’ll handle the car.
Rebecca made a broken sound.
Adrian went completely still.
No shouting.
No threat.
Just silence.
Vincent looked around the room.
“You don’t understand.”
“I understand enough,” Adrian said.
“No. Michael was going to destroy everything your father built.”
“He was trying to expose theft.”
“He was weak.”
Adrian’s eyes turned cold.
“Say his name again.”
Vincent wisely did not.
Sofia contacted authorities already waiting nearby.
That surprised several people.
Apparently Adrian Vale was not expected to voluntarily hand over evidence.
But something had changed in him.
Maybe years earlier.
Maybe when Michael died.
Maybe when he saw Ethan.
I didn’t know yet.
Vincent realized he had lost.
Then he smiled.
“That phone doesn’t matter.”
Adrian frowned.
“Why?”
“Because Vanessa has the original records.”
I spoke.
“No, she doesn’t.”
Vincent looked at me.
“She will.”
His confidence worried me.
Then every phone in the ballroom buzzed at once.
News alert.
LAKEFRONT CARGO ACCOUNTING BUILDING DESTROYED IN FIRE.
My blood froze.
My office.
My files.
My computer.
Everything.
Vanessa had burned it.
Ethan stepped beside me.
“Claire?”
“I’m fine.”
I wasn’t.
Adrian touched my shoulder.
“The real ledger is safe.”
“Yes.”
Then I remembered something.
My scheduled midnight transfer.
The encrypted system I had built.
The one Adrian knew about.
I checked my phone.
TRANSFER FAILED.
Someone had canceled it.
Only two people knew the cancellation credentials.
Me.
And the federal investigator I thought I was working with.
I slowly looked at Adrian.
“You said the investigator worked for you.”
“He did.”
“Did?”
Adrian’s expression changed.
“He disappeared yesterday.”
A sick feeling spread through me.
“Who was he?”
Adrian answered quietly.
“Daniel Cross.”
Rebecca gasped.
I turned.
“You know him?”
Her face had gone white.
“Yes.”
“Who is he?”
Rebecca stared at the burned-building alert.
May you like
Then whispered:
“Vanessa Crowe’s husband.”
