Chapter 9 - MIDNIGHT

Preston refused protection.

Federal agents ignored him.

Claire arrived thirty minutes later with Maya.

Evelyn looked at her from across the library.

The woman she had slapped forty-eight hours earlier now stood inside her home surrounded by federal investigators.

Evelyn’s pride finally cracked.

“Claire.”

Claire waited.

Evelyn swallowed.

“I need your help.”

Claire said nothing.

Preston almost smiled despite everything.

The prophecy had arrived.

Evelyn Harrington was begging.

But Claire took no pleasure in it.

“What does Richard want?”

“He wants the ledger.”

Claire’s eyes narrowed.

“How does he know I have it?”

Evelyn looked toward Preston.

“He always has people inside.”

“Inside where?”

“Everywhere.”

Claire turned toward Maya.

That changed things.

Someone within law enforcement might be feeding Richard information.

The agents established a plan.

A fake exchange.

Evelyn would offer the ledger.

Richard would choose the location.

At 10:42 p.m., a message arrived.

OLD HARRINGTON SHIPYARD.

11:30.

ALONE.

Claire immediately recognized the trap.

“He doesn’t want the ledger.”

Preston looked at her.

“What does he want?”

“Your mother.”

Evelyn went pale.

“Why?”

Claire looked at her.

“Because you’re the last living person who can testify about what happened that night.”

At 11:28, Evelyn entered the abandoned shipyard wearing a wire.

Agents surrounded the property.

Claire watched from a surveillance van.

Preston sat beside her.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

Claire looked at him.

“Neither should you.”

Inside the warehouse, Evelyn walked beneath rusted cranes.

“Richard?”

Nothing.

Then lights snapped on.

Harold Price sat tied to a chair.

His face was bruised.

Evelyn gasped.

Richard stepped from behind a shipping container.

“You always were terrible at following instructions.”

Evelyn stopped.

“You said alone.”

Richard smiled.

“You brought half the federal government.”

Inside the surveillance van, audio suddenly vanished.

Screens went black.

Maya cursed.

“We’ve been compromised.”

Then gunshots erupted.

Agents rushed the warehouse.

Claire grabbed Preston’s arm.

“Stay here.”

“My mother is inside.”

“And running into gunfire won’t help her.”

Preston pulled away.

Another explosion shook the building.

Fire burst from a side entrance.

Preston ran.

Claire swore and followed.

Inside, smoke filled the warehouse.

Harold’s chair was empty.

Evelyn was gone.

Richard was gone.

Preston shouted.

“Mom!”

Claire saw blood.

A trail led toward the river.

They followed.

At the dock, a speedboat roared away.

Richard stood at the wheel.

Evelyn lay inside.

Harold sat beside her.

Preston reached the edge.

“Mom!”

Evelyn lifted her head.

Richard accelerated.

The boat disappeared into darkness.

Maya reached them seconds later.

“We’ll track him.”

Claire looked down.

Something glittered near the dock.

A cuff link.

Harold’s.

Beneath it lay a tiny memory card.

Claire picked it up.

Harold had dropped it deliberately.

Back inside the van, they opened it.

One video file.

Recorded fourteen years earlier.

The Meridian restaurant.

Claire’s father sat at the table.

Charles.

Evelyn.

Richard.

Harold.

The camera angle showed everything.

Including the moment Richard poured something into Charles Harrington’s glass.

But that wasn’t the shocking part.

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