Chapter 10 - BLACKOUT

Emergency lights flickered red.

“Everybody stay where you are!” Detective Grant shouted.

Another crash.

Then footsteps.

Fast.

Running.

Security guards moved toward the back hall.

Marcus grabbed my arm.

“Study. Now.”

“I’m not leaving.”

“Emily.”

“That man may know what happened to my father.”

“And he may have just broken into your house.”

A gunshot cracked somewhere outside.

People screamed.

Patricia dropped to the floor.

Victoria hid behind a couch.

Daniel shouted, “Cole!”

That single word told everyone enough.

Detectives turned toward him.

“You know he’s here?”

Daniel realized his mistake.

Again.

Marcus pulled me behind a marble column.

Security radios erupted.

“East corridor!”

“Suspect moving toward library!”

“Lock west wing!”

I knew the house better than anyone.

The library connected to an old service passage.

Cole could reach the study.

Or the vault.

“Marcus.”

“What?”

“He’s not trying to escape.”

“How do you know?”

“He knows this house.”

I thought about my father.

About Cole working here for years.

“He’s looking for something.”

Marcus’s face changed.

“The audit files?”

“No.”

I remembered the hidden drawer.

My father had always kept one cabinet locked.

Not the one Daniel knew about.

Another one.

Behind the old library panel.

I ran.

“Emily!”

Marcus chased me.

Detective Grant cursed and followed.

We reached the library.

The door was open.

Inside, books were scattered everywhere.

A man stood beside the hidden panel.

Older.

Gray-haired.

Scar beside his ear.

Cole Danner.

He held a metal case.

When he saw me, he froze.

“You look like your father.”

I stopped.

Marcus moved in front of me.

“Put the case down.”

Cole smiled.

“You’re still protecting this family, Marcus?”

Detective Grant raised her weapon.

“Hands where I can see them.”

Cole slowly lifted one hand.

The other stayed on the case.

I stared at him.

“Did you kill my father?”

His smile disappeared.

“No.”

“Did Daniel?”

Cole looked toward the hall.

Then at me.

“No.”

My breath caught.

“Then who?”

Cole laughed softly.

“You really have no idea.”

“Tell me.”

He looked almost sorry.

“Your father wasn’t supposed to die.”

“What does that mean?”

“He was supposed to sign.”

“Sign what?”

“The sale.”

“What sale?”

“Your family company.”

Marcus stepped closer.

“Cole, put the case down.”

Cole ignored him.

“Your father discovered we were moving money. He threatened to call federal investigators.”

“We?”

“Me. Daniel.”

He paused.

“And Patricia.”

I stared.

Patricia?

From the hallway, a voice screamed.

“HE’S LYING!”

Patricia stood behind the detectives.

Her face was white.

Cole smiled.

“There she is.”

Patricia shook her head.

“No.”

Cole lifted the metal case.

“Want me to show her what’s inside?”

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