Chapter 10 - THE EXCHANGE
Ethan Shaw looked nothing like Victor.
Victor was heavy.
Gray-haired.
Old-school.
Ethan was thirty-four.
Lean.
Well dressed.
Almost friendly.
He stood beneath a warehouse light as Evelyn entered.
Noah sat on a chair twenty feet away.
His hands were zip-tied.
Rachel had been right.
He looked terrified.
But he was watching.
Just as Evelyn told him.
Ethan smiled.
“Director Cross.”
“Where's the red carpet?”
“You didn't bring your gold suit.”
“It smelled like smoke.”
Noah almost smiled.
Ethan noticed.
He struck the back of Noah's chair.
“Quiet.”
Evelyn's face became still.
“Do that again.”
Ethan looked at her.
“What?”
“Touch him again.”
His smile widened.
“There she is.”
“Who?”
“Charles Cross.”
Evelyn placed the case on the ground.
“No.”
“My father would have already decided how much your body cost to clean up.”
Ethan's smile faded.
“I just want my family's share.”
“You don't have one.”
“My father built Cross Holdings.”
“My father used your father.”
“And yours used everyone.”
Evelyn couldn't argue with that.
Ethan pointed toward the case.
“Open it.”
She did.
The papers were inside.
Not originals.
Copies.
Ethan didn't know.
He crouched.
Noah looked at Evelyn.
His eyes flicked toward a side door.
Once.
Twice.
Watching.
Remembering.
Evelyn followed his gaze.
A second man stood behind stacked pallets.
Gun.
Evelyn had suspected backup.
Now she knew where.
Ethan searched the documents.
“Where's the ledger?”
“What ledger?”
“Don't.”
“I brought everything.”
“No.”
Ethan looked up.
“Daniel had a handwritten ledger.”
Evelyn genuinely didn't know.
Her confusion showed.
Ethan studied her face.
“You don't have it.”
“No.”
He stood.
“Then this was pointless.”
He drew a pistol.
Noah flinched.
Evelyn remained still.
“Ethan.”
“You wasted my time.”
“You need him alive.”
“Not anymore.”
Evelyn looked at Noah.
“Remember what I said?”
Noah nodded.
Ethan frowned.
“What?”
Noah kicked the chair backward.
Hard.
It smashed into Ethan's knees.
The gun fired into the ceiling.
Evelyn ran.
The second gunman stepped out.
Before he could aim, a warehouse window shattered.
Police flash-bangs detonated.
Light.
Sound.
Chaos.
Evelyn hit the floor beside Noah.
Ethan grabbed her hair.
She screamed.
He pulled her backward.
Police shouted.
“Drop the weapon!”
Ethan wrapped one arm around Evelyn's throat.
Gun against her temple.
Noah lay on the ground.
“Don't shoot!”
Evelyn shouted.
Ethan dragged her toward a rear door.
“You ruined everything.”
“You kidnapped a child.”
“He took everything from my father!”
“No.”
Evelyn gasped against his arm.
“My father did.”
Ethan faltered.
One second.
Enough.
Evelyn drove her heel down on his foot.
Then slammed the back of her head into his face.
The gun shifted.
A shot cracked.
Ethan collapsed.
Evelyn fell.
Police rushed forward.
Rachel ran from behind the tactical team.
“Noah!”
She dropped beside him.
An officer cut the zip ties.
Rachel pulled him into her arms.
Evelyn remained on the floor.
Her ears rang.
Her shoulder burned.
Then Noah ran to her.
He threw both arms around her.
She froze.
Not because it hurt.
Because nobody hugged Evelyn Cross without asking.
Nobody had in years.
She slowly wrapped her arms around him.
Noah whispered, “You came.”
Evelyn shut her eyes.
“Of course I came.”
Behind them, Ethan groaned.
He was alive.
Detective Price rolled him over.
A small notebook fell from Ethan's jacket.
Rachel noticed.
“What is that?”
Ethan's face changed.
Evelyn reached for it.
He shouted.
“No!”
Too late.
She opened the cover.
Daniel Cross.
May you like
The handwriting was unmistakable.
The missing ledger.
