Chapter 14 - THE TRUTH GOES PUBLIC
By sunrise, the story had exploded nationwide.
Federal agents arrived at Red Hollow.
Adrian Knox was taken into custody.
So were six executives from Knox Defense Systems, two former intelligence officers, three military procurement officials, and several hired security contractors.
Marcus survived.
He asked for a lawyer before the ambulance doors even closed.
Rachel told him he should probably ask for a good one.
The evidence Sarah had hidden was stronger than anyone expected.
Years of illegal arms sales.
Bribes.
Assassinations.
Staged accidents.
Rebecca Harlan’s death.
Sarah Carter’s murder.
The Red Hollow ambush.
Everything.
For Thomas Harlan, the hardest part came three days later.
He stood beside Rebecca’s grave.
Daniel stood next to him.
Neither man spoke for a long time.
Finally Thomas said, “I should have known.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Knox fooled all of us.”
“I brought him into our house.”
“You didn’t kill Mom.”
“I trusted the man who did.”
Daniel looked at his father.
“That guilt belongs to Knox. Don’t steal it from him.”
Thomas laughed softly.
“Still telling your old man what to do.”
“Somebody has to.”
A few yards away, Eli stood beside his mother’s grave.
He placed one polished brass casing on the stone.
“Hey, Mom.”
His voice shook.
“We found what you hid.”
He crouched.
“You were right. I kept the junk.”
He smiled.
Then cried.
Not the controlled tears he had held back for months.
Real tears.
Ugly tears.
Angry tears.
Daniel sat beside him.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
Eli wiped his face.
“You keep saying that.”
“I’ll probably say it for the rest of my life.”
“Good.”
Daniel nodded.
“Fair.”
Eli looked at his father.
“Are you going to disappear again?”
“No.”
“What if somebody comes after us?”
“Then we deal with it together.”
“You promise?”
“This time, yes.”
Thomas joined them.
Eli looked at the two men.
“So what happens now?”
Daniel exhaled.
“Now I testify.”
Harlan nodded.
“And then?”
“Then I figure out how to be a father again.”
Eli stood.
“You weren’t great at it the first time.”
Daniel smiled.
“I’ve heard.”
As they walked toward the cars, a black government sedan pulled up.
A woman in a dark suit stepped out.
“Daniel Harlan?”
Daniel stopped.
“Yes.”
“I’m Special Agent Monroe.”
She handed him an envelope.
“This was recovered from one of Knox’s private vaults.”
Daniel opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
His old reconnaissance team.
Daniel.
Luis Ortega.
Three others.
Daniel stared.
“That’s strange.”
Eli looked over his shoulder.
“What?”
Daniel pointed.
May you like
On the back of the photograph, someone had recently written three words.
ORTEGA IS ALIVE.
