Chapter 12 - ELENA’S LAST LIE
Elena was supposed to be under police guard.
She wasn’t.
A clerical delay, a medical evaluation and one badly timed shift change had given her eleven minutes alone.
Eleven minutes was enough.
Security footage showed Elena leaving through a service elevator wearing a nurse’s coat.
Arthur stared at the screen.
“How does somebody charged in a major fraud case walk out of a hospital?”
Warren looked furious.
“She had help.”
“Richard?”
“No. Richard was with us.”
Arthur thought.
Then he understood.
“She still has people at my company.”
Maria’s note had warned him.
Do not trust anyone at Vance Development.
Arthur called his head of security.
No answer.
Human resources director.
No answer.
Operations vice president.
Answer.
“Arthur?”
“Where are you?”
“At home.”
“Stay there.”
“What happened?”
Arthur ended the call.
He trusted nobody now.
Then his phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A video.
Maria sat in a chair inside a dark room.
Her hands were tied.
Elena stood behind her.
Alive.
Free.
Angry.
“Elena,” Arthur whispered.
The video continued.
Elena looked into the camera.
“You ruined everything.”
Maria spoke.
“You ruined it yourself.”
Elena slapped her.
Arthur’s hand clenched.
Then Elena leaned toward the camera.
“Arthur, you have one thing I need.”
Arthur immediately knew.
“The safe-deposit key.”
Warren looked at him.
“She knows about the ledger.”
Elena continued.
“Bring the key to the old Vance textile factory at eleven. No police. No tricks.”
Maria lifted her head.
“Don’t do it, Arthur.”
Elena grabbed her hair.
“Shut up.”
Maria looked straight into the camera.
“He already has enough evidence.”
Elena’s expression changed.
Fear.
Arthur noticed.
Maria continued.
“You’re finished, Elena.”
Elena struck her again.
The video ended.
Arthur checked the time.
10:12.
Forty-eight minutes.
Warren immediately started planning.
Arthur interrupted.
“No tactical team inside.”
Warren stared at him.
“You’re not serious.”
“She knows the factory. My father owned it. There are tunnels under the production floor, loading bays, basement exits. She’ll see police coming.”
“You think I’m sending you alone?”
“No. I think you put people outside every exit and let me walk in.”
Warren didn’t like it.
But it was the best option.
At 10:58, Arthur entered the abandoned factory.
Dust covered the floor.
Old machines stood like dead animals in the dark.
“Elena!”
Her voice echoed.
“Keep walking!”
Arthur followed the sound.
He found Maria tied to a metal chair.
Elena stood behind her with a pistol.
Arthur’s heart squeezed when he saw Maria’s bruised face.
“You came,” Maria whispered.
“Of course I came.”
Elena pointed the gun.
“Key.”
Arthur held it up.
“Let her go.”
“Key first.”
“Not happening.”
Elena laughed.
“You still think you’re in control.”
“No. I think you’re scared.”
“Shut up.”
“You lost Daniel.”
“Shut up.”
“He left you to burn.”
“SHUT UP!”
Maria watched Elena carefully.
Arthur took another step.
“You threw away your marriage, your freedom and your son for a man who abandoned you.”
Elena’s hand shook.
“Don’t talk about Noah.”
“Why? You remembered you’re his mother?”
Tears filled Elena’s eyes.
“I love my son.”
“Then why did you steal his future?”
“I was going to put it back!”
Arthur stared at her.
That lie was so pathetic it almost hurt.
“Nobody steals eight million dollars by accident.”
“You don’t understand what it was like being married to you!”
Arthur stopped.
Elena’s anger poured out.
“Everything was Arthur’s company. Arthur’s house. Arthur’s money. Arthur’s rules. Do you know what people called me behind my back? Mrs. Vance. Not Elena. I became a decoration in your life.”
Arthur’s voice softened.
“You could have left.”
“And walked away with what?”
“Your dignity.”
Elena laughed through tears.
“Dignity doesn’t buy freedom.”
“No. But apparently twenty-two million dollars does.”
Maria suddenly spoke.
“Elena, Daniel never loved you.”
Elena swung the gun toward her.
“Maria!”
“He used you.”
“Stop talking.”
“The hotel photos. The transfers. The accounts. Every document protected him and exposed you.”
Elena froze.
Maria continued.
“He planned this from the beginning.”
Arthur saw the truth hit her.
Daniel had structured everything so Elena’s signature appeared everywhere.
If the scheme failed, she would take the fall.
Elena whispered, “No.”
Maria said, “He made you the criminal on paper.”
Elena’s gun lowered slightly.
Then someone clapped slowly from the darkness.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Arthur turned.
Daniel Price stepped out from behind an old machine.
Soaked.
Bruised.
And very much alive.
May you like
“Maria,” he said with a smile.
“You really are too smart for your own good.”
