Chapter 6 - THE TRAITOR
Laura looked exhausted in the video.
Her hair was tied back.
No makeup.
Fear in her eyes.
Ethan had seen that look only once before.
The day Grace was born.
Except then, the fear had been mixed with joy.
This was different.
“I don’t know who I can trust,” Laura said into the camera. “That includes people close to you.”
Ethan stood motionless.
Grace touched his arm.
The video continued.
“I found payments tied to Mercer. Judges. Police officers. Building inspectors. Security contractors.”
Claire whispered, “Jesus.”
Laura looked away from the camera.
Then back.
“There’s something bigger. Project Keystone.”
Marcus frowned.
“I’ve heard that name.”
“Where?” Ethan asked.
“Years ago. Defense procurement rumor.”
Claire turned toward him.
“What kind?”
“Data infrastructure. Surveillance.”
Laura continued.
“Raymond isn’t just bribing people. He’s collecting leverage. Private recordings. Financial records. Affairs. Medical information. Anything that can control someone.”
Grace whispered, “Blackmail.”
“Yes,” Claire said.
Laura leaned toward the camera.
“If he finds out I copied the files, he’ll come after me.”
She paused.
“And maybe Grace.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
For eleven years he had hated himself for not seeing danger coming.
Now he knew Laura had seen it.
And had been alone.
The video suddenly shook.
Laura looked toward a sound off-screen.
Then whispered, “Someone’s here.”
The recording ended.
Grace stared at the black screen.
“That’s it?”
Dana checked.
“There’s another file.”
She clicked.
Audio only.
Laura whispered.
“Michael?”
Then a man’s voice.
“Laura, we need to move.”
Michael Vance.
Ethan recognized him.
A former Marine.
Trusted friend.
A man who had stood beside Ethan at Laura’s funeral.
The recording continued.
Laura asked, “Did Ethan send you?”
Vance answered.
“No.”
A pause.
Then:
“Raymond did.”
Grace covered her mouth.
Ethan’s hands curled into fists.
The audio cut off.
Marcus stepped back from the table.
“I vouched for Vance.”
“So did I,” Ethan said.
“We both did.”
Claire crossed her arms.
“Where is he now?”
Marcus shook his head.
“Disappeared nine years ago.”
“Dead?”
“No body.”
Dana typed.
“Maybe not disappeared.”
She turned her screen.
Michael Vance had used a passport three months ago.
Destination:
Zurich.
Claire leaned closer.
“Switzerland.”
Dana nodded.
“And guess what company has a private banking division there?”
Ethan already knew.
“Mercer Global.”
Grace stood.
“We go get him.”
“No,” Ethan said.
“What?”
“You stay here.”
She laughed once.
Cold.
“Absolutely not.”
“Grace.”
“They came after Mom. Then me. You don’t get to lock me in a safe room and pretend I’m protected.”
“I’m not pretending.”
“You lied to me for eleven years.”
“That was different.”
“No. It wasn’t.”
Claire watched them.
Marcus wisely looked away.
Grace stepped close to her father.
“If I’m old enough for Raymond Mercer to try to silence me, I’m old enough to know why.”
Ethan wanted to argue.
He couldn’t.
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Cole.”
A distorted voice said:
“You want Michael Vance?”
Everyone looked at Ethan.
“Who is this?”
“Someone who wants Mercer destroyed.”
“Where is Vance?”
“Not Zurich.”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
“Then where?”
The voice gave an address.
Claire typed it into her computer.
Her face changed.
Ethan saw it.
“What is it?”
Claire turned the screen.
The address was less than fifteen miles away.
An abandoned church outside the city.
The voice spoke again.
“Go alone.”
Ethan looked at Marcus.
Then Claire.
Then Grace.
May you like
The caller finished:
“And hurry. Michael Vance has been waiting eleven years to tell you who really killed your wife.”
