Chapter 10 - THE FILE
Daniel ran across the balcony.
Police shouted below.
“Stop!”
He jumped.
Landed badly.
Rolled.
Then sprinted toward the gardens.
Evelyn chased him.
Again.
“Evelyn!” Marcus yelled.
She ignored him.
Daniel looked over his shoulder.
“You never learn!”
She ran faster.
“You never shut up!”
He cut through a hedge.
Evelyn followed.
Branches tore at her gown.
The gardens opened toward the old lake.
Daniel reached the dock.
No boat.
He turned.
Police approached from both sides.
Evelyn stopped ten feet away.
Daniel held the file over the water.
“Come closer and it’s gone.”
Evelyn froze.
“You won’t.”
He laughed.
“You still think you know me.”
“I know you love leverage.”
“Exactly.”
“So you won’t destroy the only thing keeping you useful.”
His smile faded.
Police raised their weapons.
“Hands where we can see them!”
Daniel ignored them.
He stared at Evelyn.
“Tell them to back off.”
“No.”
He lowered the file toward the lake.
“Evelyn.”
“Go ahead.”
His hand paused.
“Drop it.”
She stepped closer.
“If you destroy it, you lose your bargaining chip.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“You learned something after all.”
“I learned from the worst.”
His smile came back.
“Careful.”
Evelyn looked at the file.
“What did Michael find?”
“You really want to know?”
“Yes.”
Daniel laughed softly.
“He found your father’s secret.”
Evelyn froze.
“My father is dead.”
“That doesn’t make him innocent.”
“Of what?”
Daniel opened the file.
“Cross Holdings wasn’t built clean.”
Evelyn said nothing.
“Your father used off-book political payments, illegal acquisitions, hidden debt.”
“You’re lying.”
“I wish.”
He pulled out a paper.
“Michael found the proof.”
Marcus reached the dock behind her.
“Daniel, put it down.”
Daniel laughed.
“And there’s loyal Marcus.”
Marcus clenched his fists.
“Shut up.”
Daniel looked at Evelyn.
“You think your brother died because of me?”
Evelyn stepped closer.
“Did he?”
Daniel smiled.
“No.”
Relief tried to enter her chest.
Then he continued.
“He died because your father’s old crimes were worth billions.”
Her relief vanished.
Daniel held up another page.
“Victoria knew.”
Chloe arrived behind the officers.
She gasped.
Daniel looked at her.
“Hey, sweetheart.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“You were going to be my wife.”
“I’d rather marry a snake.”
Daniel smiled.
“Your mother would disagree.”
Chloe started forward.
Police stopped her.
Daniel looked at Evelyn again.
“Michael found the hidden accounts.”
“And you?”
“I found Michael.”
Her throat tightened.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I tried to buy the file.”
“From my brother?”
“Yes.”
“And when he refused?”
Daniel’s eyes changed.
“I told Victoria.”
Evelyn stopped breathing.
Chloe whispered, “No.”
Daniel turned toward her.
“Your mother panicked.”
“Stop.”
“She thought Michael would expose her father too.”
Chloe was crying now.
Daniel shrugged.
“So she followed him.”
Evelyn’s voice shook.
“And ran him off the road.”
Daniel looked back at her.
“That was the plan.”
Marcus frowned.
“The plan?”
Daniel’s smile disappeared.
Evelyn saw it.
There was more.
“What happened?”
Daniel looked toward the lake.
“Michael survived the crash.”
Nobody moved.
Evelyn whispered, “What?”
“He was alive.”
The dock seemed to tilt beneath her.
Daniel continued.
“Victoria called me.”
Evelyn’s eyes filled.
“What did you do?”
Daniel looked at her.
For the first time, his confidence cracked.
Only slightly.
But enough.
“What did you do?” she screamed.
Daniel’s voice dropped.
“I went to the road.”
Chloe covered her mouth.
Marcus whispered, “Jesus Christ.”
Evelyn could barely stand.
“You saw him alive.”
Daniel said nothing.
“You saw my brother alive.”
“Yes.”
“Did you help him?”
Silence.
“Daniel.”
He looked at her.
“No.”
Evelyn broke.
She lunged.
Officers grabbed her.
“You let him die!”
Daniel backed toward the edge.
“It wasn’t that simple.”
“You let him die!”
“He was going to destroy everything!”
“You let him die!”
Daniel shouted back.
“Yes!”
The word echoed over the lake.
Everyone froze.
Daniel stared at Evelyn.
Then his face changed.
He realized what he had just said.
Marcus looked at the officers.
“You all heard that.”
Daniel’s eyes widened.
He stepped back.
His heel slipped.
May you like
The file flew from his hand.
And Daniel fell into the lake.
