CHAPTER 5 — THE NAME AT THE TOP
Officer Ruiz tackled Emily behind the bed as another bullet tore through the wall.
“Stay down!”
Lauren crawled toward the doorway with the bracelet clutched in her fist.
Victoria grabbed her ankle.
“Don’t you dare.”
Lauren kicked free.
The bedroom door flew open.
Marcus stood there holding an old revolver.
“There’s a shooter in the garden!”
Ruiz pointed his weapon at him.
“Drop the gun!”
“It’s licensed!”
“Drop it!”
Marcus placed it on the floor.
Emily glanced through the shattered window. A dark figure moved behind the hedges.
“Lauren’s running!”
Ruiz turned.
Lauren disappeared into the hallway.
Victoria followed.
By the time they reached the grand staircase, Lauren was already near the front entrance.
Then the mansion doors burst open.
A black SUV crashed through the iron security gate outside and raced toward the steps.
Lauren ran for it.
Emily understood immediately.
“She’s taking the bracelet to Grant!”
Marcus tackled Lauren before she reached the driveway.
They hit the stone hard.
The bracelet flew from her hand and skidded beneath the SUV.
The driver accelerated.
Emily ran without thinking.
She dropped to the ground, reached under the moving vehicle, and closed her fingers around the bracelet seconds before the rear tire passed.
Ruiz fired at the SUV’s tires.
The vehicle swerved, smashed through a fountain, and vanished down the hill.
Emily stood with blood running from her scraped arm.
Victoria stared at the bracelet in her hand.
“Give it to me.”
Emily pulled back.
“No more secrets.”
“Emily—”
“Open it here.”
Lauren was dragged inside in handcuffs.
Ruiz locked the doors and ordered everyone into the security room.
Victoria examined the bracelet’s clasp.
“There’s a small needle inside. It recognizes a blood protein carried through the Hayes family line.”
“That sounds insane,” Ruiz said.
“My husband paid people to make insane things possible.”
Victoria pressed her thumb against the hidden point.
A tiny click sounded.
The center diamond lifted, revealing a thin cylinder of microfilm.
Ruiz held it up to the light.
“This is decades old.”
Owen found a film reader in Richard’s private archive room.
The first image showed transaction dates, building addresses, and payment amounts.
The second showed names.
Judges.
Police officials.
City council members.
Developers.
Then Anna Carter.
Emily gripped the desk.
Next to Anna’s name were three words:
PRIMARY ACCOUNT HOLDER.
Lauren gave a bitter smile.
“I told you.”
Emily stared at Victoria.
“My mother was involved?”
Victoria shook her head.
“Richard could have used her name.”
The next page appeared.
A photograph.
Anna stood beside Richard Hayes outside the old guesthouse.
She was not dressed like an assistant.
She wore an expensive suit and held the ledger in her hands.
Below the photo was a typed message:
ANNA CARTER CREATED THE NETWORK. RICHARD HAYES EXPANDED IT.
Emily stepped backward.
“No.”
Victoria looked equally stunned.
“I never saw this.”
Lauren laughed.
“Your precious hero built the whole thing.”
Emily’s eyes burned.
“My mother worked two jobs. We lived in a one-bedroom apartment.”
“After she ran,” Victoria said softly.
The final frame showed a handwritten note.
Emily recognized her mother’s handwriting instantly.
I started this to survive. Richard turned it into murder. If anything happens to me, protect my daughter from the truth.
Emily could barely breathe.
Then another sentence appeared beneath it.
Emily’s father is still alive. He is the only person Richard ever feared.
The phone rang again.
Grant’s voice filled the room.
“Now you understand why I need the bracelet.”
Emily looked at the screen.
“Who is my father?”
Grant smiled.
“The man standing right behind you.”
May you like
Emily turned slowly.
Marcus Reed was pointing his revolver at Victoria.
