Chapter 12 - BENEATH THE PERFECT DESK
Evelyn's office had been renovated three times.
The desk had never moved.
It had belonged to Charles Cross.
She hated it.
Which was exactly why she kept it.
A reminder, she'd always told herself.
Now she wondered whether it had been something else.
Claire removed the drawers.
Nothing.
Detective Price searched the underside.
Nothing.
Noah sat on the sofa beside Rachel.
He shouldn't have been there.
Rachel knew that.
Evelyn knew that.
But after the kidnapping, Noah refused to be left anywhere alone.
Nobody argued.
“There's a mark here,” Noah said.
Everyone turned.
He was crouched beside the desk.
Rachel sighed.
“Noah.”
“What?”
“You are not the detective.”
“I'm better than him.”
Price looked offended.
“I heard that.”
Noah pointed beneath the desk.
A small gold star had been carved into the wood.
Evelyn froze.
Daniel.
She knelt.
Pressed it.
Nothing.
Then twisted.
A panel released.
Claire whispered, “You've got to be kidding.”
Inside sat a tiny digital recorder.
Old.
Dust-covered.
And a folded note.
Margaret's handwriting.
For Evelyn.
Evelyn sat on the floor.
She opened the note first.
My darling girl,
I am sorry.
I kept believing I could soften your father without confronting him.
I was wrong.
Daniel paid for my fear.
Do not let fear become your inheritance.
Evelyn stopped reading.
Rachel sat beside her.
No words.
Just presence.
Evelyn restarted.
Noah is alive.
Rachel must keep him hidden until Charles is gone.
I know this will hurt you.
One day, I hope you understand why I chose his safety over your grief.
Evelyn covered her face.
Twelve years.
Her mother had known.
Rachel touched Evelyn's shoulder.
“I hated her for it too.”
Evelyn lowered her hands.
“You knew?”
“Not until after Daniel died.”
“She came to me.”
“She gave me money.”
“I refused it.”
“She gave me a new identity plan.”
“I refused that too.”
“She begged me to leave Chicago.”
“Why didn't you?”
Rachel looked toward Noah.
“Because Daniel is buried here.”
Evelyn looked down.
They played the recorder.
Charles's voice filled the room.
“You were told to scare him.”
Victor answered.
“He was going to expose us.”
“You killed my son.”
“He stopped being your son the minute he chose that girl.”
A long silence.
Then Charles said something so quiet they nearly missed it.
“Make sure Rachel's baby disappears.”
Noah stopped breathing.
Rachel pulled him closer.
Victor replied.
“Physically?”
Margaret screamed from somewhere near the recorder.
“No!”
A crash followed.
Charles shouted.
“You've been listening?”
Then chaos.
The recording ended.
Nobody moved.
Detective Price finally spoke.
“That's enough.”
“For what?” Evelyn asked.
“For charges against Victor.”
“What charges?”
“Conspiracy.”
“Attempted kidnapping if we can connect later actions.”
“Obstruction.”
“And Daniel's homicide.”
Rachel closed her eyes.
Noah whispered, “So it's over?”
Price looked at him.
Before he could answer, Claire's phone buzzed.
She read the message.
Her face tightened.
“Victor woke up.”
Rachel exhaled.
“Good.”
Claire shook her head.
“No.”
She looked at Evelyn.
“He's asking to speak to the board.”
Evelyn frowned.
“Why?”
Claire turned her laptop around.
Cross Holdings stock had dropped twelve percent overnight.
News of the kidnapping had leaked.
Headlines exploded across the screen.
DIRECTOR'S SECRET NEPHEW LINKED TO FORTUNE.
CROSS FAMILY MURDER ALLEGATIONS.
BOARD CALLS EMERGENCY VOTE.
May you like
Evelyn stared.
Claire whispered, “They want to remove you as director by noon.”
