Chapter 2 - THE BLACK CASE
Nobody inside the ballroom heard the final words clearly.
I did.
Marcus did.
Senator Holloway did.
And the senator's reaction told me more than any confession could have.
He wasn't surprised.
He was terrified.
“Open the east exit.”
Malcolm's voice cracked.
Marcus didn't move.
“I said open it!”
“No.”
“My daughter is down there.”
“With an armed man.”
“Exactly.”
The senator stepped toward Marcus.
“I have security.”
Marcus glanced toward the senator's men.
Then back at him.
“No offense, Senator, but if your security were handling this situation, your daughter wouldn't be in a garage with an armed stranger.”
Malcolm's face hardened.
Grant appeared behind us.
“What the hell is going on?”
His father turned.
“Stay here.”
“Where's Victoria?”
“Grant.”
“Where is she?”
Malcolm grabbed his son's arm.
“Stay in this room.”
Grant jerked away.
“Don't touch me.”
Even now.
Even with his sister potentially facing a gun.
Grant's first instinct was arrogance.
I turned toward Marcus.
“How many underground exits?”
“Four vehicle ramps.”
“Sealed?”
“Three.”
My stomach tightened.
“Why only three?”
“The fourth is controlled by the original estate system.”
“And?”
Marcus looked toward the senator.
“Someone disabled it twelve minutes ago.”
Malcolm whispered something under his breath.
I heard only one word.
“Damn.”
I faced him.
“You know who's doing this.”
“No.”
“You're lying.”
He looked away.
I stepped closer.
“Your daughter is downstairs with an armed man.”
Nothing.
“If you know something that helps us reach her alive, now would be a good time to stop protecting yourself.”
Malcolm's eyes snapped toward me.
“You think I'm protecting myself?”
“Yes.”
His expression twisted.
“I've been protecting my children for twenty years.”
Grant laughed bitterly.
“That's rich.”
Malcolm turned.
“Not now.”
“No, let's do this now.”
Grant moved closer.
“You spent my entire life protecting your career.”
The senator looked exhausted.
“Grant.”
“You covered things up because scandal would hurt you.”
“That isn't true.”
“Isn't it?”
Grant pointed toward me.
“You came here because she locked the building.”
“I came because—”
“Because you were afraid of what she might find.”
Malcolm's silence answered him.
Grant's anger changed.
“What did Victoria do?”
His father said nothing.
“What did she do?”
“Nothing.”
“Then what's in the case?”
Malcolm looked at me.
That was another answer.
He knew.
Marcus's radio crackled again.
“Movement in the garage.”
We all became silent.
“Camera?”
Marcus asked.
“Offline.”
“Thermal?”
“Two heat signatures near Bay Four.”
“Any others?”
“Negative.”
Marcus looked at me.
“I need authorization.”
“For what?”
“To deploy tactical.”
Malcolm immediately interrupted.
“No weapons.”
Marcus stared at him.
“There's already a weapon downstairs.”
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
Malcolm's hands curled into fists.
“The man with Victoria isn't there to kill her.”
Grant looked stunned.
I stared at the senator.
“You know him.”
Malcolm didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
“Who is he?”
Finally, the senator spoke.
“His name is Daniel Cross.”
Marcus reacted.
That frightened me more than the name itself.
“You know him?”
Marcus nodded once.
“Former federal contractor.”
“What kind?”
“Intelligence.”
Malcolm looked toward the floor.
Marcus continued.
“Cross disappeared six years ago after being accused of selling classified financial intelligence.”
Grant stared at his father.
“What does that have to do with Victoria?”
The senator looked at his son.
“Everything.”
Before he could explain, the lights went out.
The ballroom vanished into darkness.
People screamed.
Emergency lights flickered on seconds later.
Red illumination washed across hundreds of frightened faces.
Marcus grabbed my arm.
“Stay behind me.”
Then every television screen in the ballroom came alive.
There were twelve.
Each showed the same image.
Victoria Holloway.
She sat in a chair inside the underground garage.
Her hands were free.
She wasn't crying.
She wasn't restrained.
Daniel Cross stood behind her.
The black case rested on the hood of a car.
Grant stared at the screens.
“Victoria!”
She couldn't hear him.
Cross looked directly into the camera.
Then he spoke.
“Senator Holloway.”
Malcolm went completely still.
Cross smiled.
“You've spent twenty years hoping this night would never come.”
Guests began whispering.
Malcolm stepped toward the nearest screen.
“Daniel.”
Cross continued.
“Tonight, your son assaulted the wrong woman.”
My blood ran cold.
He knew who I was.
Then Cross said my name.
“Claire Bennett.”
Every head in the ballroom turned toward me.
Grant stared.
Cross smiled into the camera.
“And because Claire Bennett locked the doors…”
May you like
He placed one hand on the black case.
“…the truth finally has nowhere left to run.”
