Chapter 10 - THE EDGE
Julian had reached the old service bridge before anyone caught him.
The bridge crossed a steep ravine carved by years of mountain runoff.
Half the safety railing had collapsed during the wildfire.
Julian stood near the edge.
Blood ran from his wrist where Claire had hit him.
An officer shouted, “Get on the ground!”
Julian looked behind him.
Then down.
I reached the clearing as two officers tried to stop me.
“Elena!”
Julian looked at me.
His face was wild.
“Tell them to back off.”
“You’re surrounded.”
“Tell them!”
“Julian, it’s over.”
His laugh sounded broken.
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it’s true.”
“No.”
He pointed at me.
“You don’t get to decide when I’m finished.”
“I’m not deciding.”
I swallowed.
“You already did.”
He stepped backward.
Loose gravel slid beneath his shoe.
Everyone froze.
I didn’t want him dead.
That surprised me.
After everything, I still didn’t want to watch a man I once loved fall into a ravine.
“Julian.”
His eyes met mine.
“Step forward.”
“Why?”
“Because this isn’t how it ends.”
“What, you want me in prison?”
“I want you alive long enough to answer for what you did.”
He smiled bitterly.
“Still giving orders.”
“I’m asking.”
“No.”
Another inch backward.
“Julian.”
Then my phone rang.
Ridiculous.
Inappropriate.
I almost ignored it.
The detective beside me looked at the screen.
Victor Shaw.
“Answer,” he whispered.
I put it on speaker.
“Victor?”
“Elena.”
His voice was tense.
“I just saw the news alert about Blackwood.”
Julian heard him.
His face changed.
Victor continued.
“I need to speak with you before your husband lies about our dealings.”
Julian shouted, “HANG UP!”
Victor stopped.
“Elena?”
“He’s here.”
Silence.
Then Victor said something that made Julian go completely still.
“I never agreed to his fraud.”
Julian’s eyes widened.
Victor continued.
“He told me the Vale Trust approved the collateral package. When my attorneys discovered the signatures were fake, I terminated negotiations.”
“You liar!” Julian screamed.
Victor kept talking.
“I have every email.”
Julian looked around.
Police.
Me.
The ravine.
No exit.
Victor said, “Including the email where he threatened Thomas Reed.”
Everything stopped.
Even Julian.
I whispered, “What email?”
Victor answered.
“Thomas contacted me two weeks before he disappeared.”
Julian suddenly lunged toward me.
Officers moved.
He slipped.
His foot went over the edge.
For one terrible second, his entire body disappeared.
Then his hand caught the broken railing.
He hung over the ravine.
“Elena!”
Instinct took over.
I ran forward and grabbed his arm.
An officer grabbed my waist.
Julian dangled below us.
He looked up at me.
Terrified.
“Elena, please.”
Nine years flashed through my head.
Our wedding.
Our first apartment.
Late nights designing our first property.
His hand on my back at my mother’s memorial.
His face beside Vanessa’s.
Claire’s blood.
Thomas Reed’s body.
“Please,” he said again.
I tightened my grip.
Then officers pulled him up.
The second he hit the ground, they handcuffed him.
He looked at me.
“You saved me.”
I stood over him, shaking.
“No.”
He looked confused.
“I saved myself from becoming someone like you.”
An officer pulled him away.
At 6:02 a.m., Julian Mercer was placed into a police vehicle.
The sun was rising.
Exactly as my father had promised.
His executive access was gone.
His accounts were frozen.
His board had removed him.
His mistress had turned witness.
His assistant had survived.
And Thomas Reed’s death was now officially a homicide investigation.
I thought the nightmare was ending.
Then Diane came running toward me with my phone.
Her face was pale.
“Elena.”
“What?”
“You need to see what Julian scheduled to happen at six-thirty.”
She handed me the screen.
A mass email was queued for every major financial newspaper in the country.
May you like
Subject line:
ELENA MERCER STOLE THE VALE FORTUNE.
