Chapter 9 - THE UNCLE
Claire woke tied to a chair.
Old warehouse.
Concrete floor.
One hanging light.
Peter Vale stood near the door.
Across from her sat Vincent Kane.
He looked exactly as he always had.
Perfect gray suit.
Silver hair.
Polished shoes.
The kind face of the beloved uncle who donated millions to hospitals.
“You’ve become inconvenient,” he said.
Claire tasted blood.
“You kidnapped a baby.”
“I borrowed a baby.”
“You murdered Nathan.”
Vincent smiled faintly.
“Straight to the point.”
“Did you?”
He leaned back.
“Nathan was sentimental.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It is.”
Claire’s stomach tightened.
Vincent continued.
“He wanted Gabriel to abandon everything their father built.”
“You mean the criminal part.”
“I mean the Kane legacy.”
“Nathan had a wife and child.”
“He also had a responsibility.”
“You killed him because he wanted out?”
Vincent’s expression hardened.
“I killed him because he was willing to destroy us.”
Claire stared.
There it was.
A confession.
But she needed more.
“You cut the brake line.”
Vincent smiled.
“Actually, Peter handled the vehicle.”
Peter looked away.
Claire continued.
“And Sarah?”
“A consequence.”
Anger burned through her.
“She wasn’t part of this.”
“No one is innocent when power is involved.”
Claire slowly curled her fingers.
Her smartwatch was still beneath her sleeve.
Recording.
Uploading to a cloud account.
If Gabriel found it.
If.
Vincent stood.
“The drive.”
“I don’t have it.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I gave it to Gabriel.”
Vincent’s face changed.
Claire saw fear.
Only for a second.
Enough.
“So that’s what this is about.”
Vincent leaned down.
“Nathan never understood Gabriel.”
“What does that mean?”
“Gabriel believes he inherited this empire because he was stronger.”
Vincent smiled.
“The truth is his father never intended him to lead.”
Claire stayed silent.
“Your precious Nathan was supposed to take control.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It will.”
Vincent placed a folder in her lap.
Inside were documents.
Gabriel’s signature.
Wire transfers.
One dated two days before Nathan’s death.
Payment authorized to the company that serviced Nathan’s SUV.
Claire’s stomach dropped.
Vincent watched her.
“Gabriel signed the payment that killed his own brother.”
“No.”
“Read it.”
Claire did.
The signature looked real.
Vincent smiled.
“Now you understand why Nathan didn’t trust him.”
Claire looked up.
“You forged it.”
“Did I?”
Her confidence wavered.
Then a gunshot sounded outside.
Peter ran to the window.
“What the hell?”
Another gunshot.
Lights died.
Vincent swore.
Claire smiled despite herself.
“You should know something about Gabriel.”
Vincent turned.
Claire’s eyes were steady.
“He really hates being told no.”
An explosion shook the rear door.
Gabriel Kane walked through smoke.
May you like
His gun raised.
And murder was written all over his face.
