Chapter 7 - The Night the Vale Empire Started Falling
Glass flew across the room.
Grant pulled Vivian down.
I dropped behind the desk.
Arthur froze.
A second impact shattered the lamp beside him.
“Down!”
I grabbed his jacket and dragged him behind the heavy walnut desk.
Outside, tires screamed.
Then silence.
Security arrived seconds later.
Too late.
Whoever had fired into the library was gone.
Arthur sat against the desk.
A thin cut crossed his cheek.
He touched the blood.
For the first time, the billionaire looked mortal.
I stared at him.
“Still think I should stop?”
Arthur laughed once.
Bitterly.
“No.”
Grant stood.
“Who knew Celeste was coming?”
Arthur looked at Vivian.
Vivian went pale.
“What?”
“Who did you tell?”
“Nobody.”
“Vivian.”
“I told Malcolm.”
The room froze.
Grant stared at her.
“Senator Pierce?”
“He called this afternoon.”
“Why?”
“He asked whether Celeste was causing problems.”
I closed my eyes.
Vivian whispered, “I didn’t know.”
Arthur stood.
“You never know.”
She flinched.
“Dad—”
“You spend your entire life talking because thinking requires effort.”
Vivian’s face crumpled.
I stepped between them.
“Enough.”
Arthur stared at me.
“Save the family therapy.”
I looked at Grant.
“Get Vivian somewhere secure.”
“What about you?”
“I’m taking Dad.”
Arthur laughed.
“You’re taking me?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
I looked toward the broken window.
“To the people you spent seventeen years avoiding.”
Forty minutes later, Arthur Vale entered a secure federal facility.
No cameras.
No attorneys.
No assistants.
No board members.
Just Arthur.
Admiral Reed.
Two federal prosecutors.
And me.
Arthur sat at the table.
Prosecutor Rachel Monroe opened a recorder.
“Mr. Vale, are you prepared to cooperate?”
Arthur looked at me.
I gave him nothing.
He sighed.
“Yes.”
Monroe placed a document before him.
“Who controls Meridian?”
Arthur answered.
“Jonathan Hale.”
“And Senator Pierce?”
“Financial coordination.”
“Your role?”
“Shipping infrastructure.”
“Grant Vale?”
“Unknowing signatory.”
I looked at him.
Arthur continued.
“I deliberately prevented Grant from seeing classified cargo records.”
For once, he was protecting someone other than himself.
Monroe asked the next question.
“Eleanor Vale?”
Arthur stopped.
My heart tightened.
“What about her?”
“Was your wife aware of Meridian?”
“Yes.”
“Did she intend to testify?”
Arthur closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
I leaned forward.
“What happened to Mom?”
He didn’t answer.
“Arthur.”
His eyes opened.
I had never called him Arthur before.
Not once.
“What happened to her?”
He looked at me.
“I sent her away to keep Hale from reaching her.”
“Did Hale kill her?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s not good enough.”
“I don’t know!”
His voice cracked.
Everyone went silent.
Arthur lowered his head.
“I spent seventeen years telling myself I protected this family.”
He looked at his hands.
“All I did was make it easier for monsters to control us.”
Monroe slid another file toward him.
“We need evidence.”
Arthur nodded slowly.
“I have it.”
“Where?”
He looked at me.
“Your mother hid it.”
My breath caught.
“Where?”
May you like
Arthur whispered two words.
“Your grave.”
