Chapter 12 - VICTOR’S FINAL BETRAYAL
Victor had escaped through a maintenance tunnel.
Federal agents believed someone had helped him.
Charles refused to speak.
Martin recovered in the hospital.
Lucy stayed.
Scarlett pretended she was only there because reporters were outside.
Nobody believed her.
Martin looked at Lucy.
“You should go sleep.”
“So should you.”
“I have a bullet hole.”
“A graze.”
“You’re very compassionate.”
“You’ll survive.”
He smiled.
Lucy did too.
Then Martin became serious.
“I want to change the ownership.”
Lucy looked at him.
“What?”
“Rebecca’s documents are legitimate.”
“Lawyers haven’t finished reviewing them.”
“They will.”
He took a breath.
“The patent belongs to her estate.”
“To me.”
“Yes.”
Lucy sat back.
“And?”
“And Hale Meridian owes you.”
Lucy’s expression hardened.
“I don’t want your empire.”
“It isn’t mine.”
Scarlett entered.
“All right, that was dramatic.”
Martin looked at her.
Scarlett continued.
“She’s right. Nobody wants to inherit twelve billion dollars of lawsuits.”
Lucy laughed.
Martin sighed.
Scarlett sat.
“What if we fix it?”
Lucy looked at her.
“How?”
“Employee ownership.”
Martin nodded slowly.
“The original plan.”
Scarlett looked at Lucy.
“Rebecca wanted workers to own part of the company.”
Lucy said,
“Yes.”
“Then do that.”
Lucy studied her.
“You’re willing to give away your inheritance?”
Scarlett smiled sadly.
“I found out this week most of my inheritance was stolen anyway.”
Lucy’s expression softened.
Scarlett continued.
“I don’t want Victor’s money.”
Martin said,
“Neither do I.”
Lucy looked between them.
“So we restructure everything?”
Martin nodded.
“Return ownership.”
“To employees?”
“Partially.”
“To Rebecca’s estate?”
“Yes.”
“And victims?”
Martin looked at Scarlett.
“Elaine’s foundation.”
Scarlett nodded.
Lucy’s eyes filled.
For once, rebuilding seemed possible.
Then Maya entered holding a phone.
“You need to see this.”
News footage showed Victor Lang standing inside a television studio.
Live.
Scarlett stood.
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
Victor sat across from a national journalist.
His face was bruised.
His suit was fresh.
He looked calm.
The journalist asked,
“Did Charles Hale order the murders of Rebecca Carter and Elaine Hale?”
Victor answered,
“Yes.”
Lucy stared.
Victor continued.
“But Martin Hale knew far more than he claims.”
Martin’s face changed.
Lucy looked at him.
“What?”
Martin whispered,
“He’s lying.”
Victor held up documents.
“In 2008, Martin signed an agreement surrendering Rebecca’s ownership.”
Lucy stood.
“That signature was forged.”
Victor smiled at the camera.
“Was it?”
The host displayed a video clip.
Young Martin.
Twenty-two.
Angry.
Arguing with someone off-camera.
Martin shouted in the recording,
“If Rebecca won’t cooperate, get rid of her.”
Lucy stopped breathing.
The studio host asked Victor,
“Who was Martin speaking to?”
Victor answered.
“Me.”
Lucy slowly looked at Martin.
He went pale.
“Lucy…”
She backed away.
“What did you mean?”
“It isn’t what it sounds like.”
“You said get rid of her.”
“I was talking about removing her from an investor meeting.”
Scarlett frowned.
“You remember that?”
“Yes.”
Lucy stared at him.
“After eighteen years?”
“Because it was the worst argument Rebecca and I ever had.”
Victor continued on television.
“Martin knew she was pregnant.”
Lucy whispered,
“Did you?”
Martin closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Scarlett looked shocked.
“You told us partners discovered it.”
Martin nodded.
“They did.”
Lucy’s anger returned.
“And you knew?”
“Yes.”
“Did you tell her to leave?”
Martin hesitated.
That hesitation destroyed her.
Lucy stepped backward.
“You did.”
“I told her maybe we needed time.”
“You abandoned her.”
“No.”
“You chose the company.”
Martin’s voice broke.
“For one night.”
Lucy stared.
“One night was enough.”
She walked out.
Martin tried to follow.
His wound stopped him.
Scarlett chased Lucy into the hallway.
“Wait.”
“Don’t.”
“Martin made mistakes.”
“He lied.”
“Yes.”
Lucy turned.
“You’re defending him now?”
Scarlett shook her head.
“No.”
“Then what?”
Scarlett looked at her.
“I’m saying Victor showed us one piece.”
Lucy frowned.
Scarlett held up Maya’s phone.
“The video continues.”
Lucy stared.
Scarlett pressed play.
Young Martin’s voice:
“If Rebecca won’t cooperate, get rid of her.”
Victor responded:
“Permanently?”
Young Martin snapped,
“From the meeting, you psycho. Send her home. I’ll talk to her tonight.”
Lucy froze.
The video continued.
Martin said,
“And Victor?”
“Yes?”
“If anyone touches Rebecca…”
Martin stepped into frame.
“…you answer to me.”
Lucy’s anger cracked.
Scarlett whispered,
“He edited it for television.”
Lucy closed her eyes.
Then Maya shouted from down the hall.
“Lucy!”
They turned.
Victor’s live interview had suddenly ended.
The studio cameras showed chaos.
Someone had entered the building.
A shot rang out.
The screen cut to black.
Scarlett whispered,
“Charles is in custody.”
May you like
Lucy stared at the television.
“Then who just attacked Victor?”
