Chapter 11 - Victor Hale Makes His Move
Victor Hale didn’t wait for investigators.
He moved first.
At 2:13 the following morning, Escalante security detected an attempted breach of a private financial server.
By 2:19, the breach was contained.
By 2:26, investigators traced the access request to a shell company connected to Hale.
Mariana was awakened by Alejandro’s call.
“Hale knows Andrew is talking.”
Mariana sat up.
“How?”
“We don’t know.”
“What does he want?”
“Probably the files.”
Mariana looked toward the city lights outside her penthouse.
“Then he thinks Andrew gave them to me.”
“Yes.”
“Did he?”
“Not yet.”
Mariana got out of bed.
“Call Andrew.”
Andrew answered on the second ring.
“Mariana?”
“Where are you?”
“A hotel.”
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t leave.”
Andrew became alert.
“What happened?”
“Hale moved.”
Silence.
Then Andrew said something Mariana didn’t expect.
“He’ll come for the ledger.”
“What ledger?”
Andrew hesitated.
“Andrew.”
“A physical ledger.”
Mariana closed her eyes.
Of course there was more.
“Where?”
“The mansion.”
Her eyes opened.
“Where inside the mansion?”
“Behind the wine cellar wall.”
Mariana was already getting dressed.
“What’s in it?”
“Everything.”
“Define everything.”
“Hale’s payments.”
Andrew breathed heavily.
“Bribes.”
“Who?”
“City officials.”
“Who else?”
“Contractors.”
Mariana grabbed her coat.
“Anything involving Escalante?”
A pause.
“Yes.”
Her hand stopped.
“What?”
“Hale was trying to infiltrate your family’s logistics network.”
Mariana’s blood turned cold.
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“You knew enough to hide a ledger.”
“I was scared.”
Mariana headed toward the elevator.
“Stay at the hotel.”
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
“I know where the compartment is.”
“Tell security.”
“They won’t find it.”
Mariana stopped.
“Andrew.”
“I started this.”
His voice sounded different.
Not arrogant.
Not bargaining.
“I need to help finish it.”
Thirty minutes later, Mariana arrived at the mansion.
Andrew was already there.
So were Escalante security teams.
They entered the wine cellar.
Andrew walked toward the back wall.
He counted six stone panels from the left.
Then pressed one.
Nothing happened.
He frowned.
“It should open.”
Mariana watched him.
“Try again.”
Andrew pressed harder.
Still nothing.
Then the lights went out.
Darkness swallowed the cellar.
Security immediately drew flashlights.
A crash sounded upstairs.
Someone shouted.
Then came the unmistakable sound of glass breaking.
May you like
Andrew looked at Mariana.
“He’s already here.”
