Chapter 11 - ONE STEP FROM DEATH
Ava froze.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
Victor appeared behind her.
“Don’t move.”
“Wasn’t planning to.”
Marcus crouched carefully.
He examined the plate.
Daniel’s wrists were tied.
“Get her out.”
Marcus shook his head.
“If she lifts her foot, the circuit closes.”
Ava swallowed.
“How bad?”
Marcus looked at the explosives.
“Bad enough.”
Daniel struggled.
“Take Noah and leave.”
Ava looked at him.
“Noah’s with Victor’s people.”
“Good. Then go.”
“Stop trying to disappear.”
Daniel stared at her.
Even now, she sounded like Elena.
Marcus removed a pocketknife.
“I can bypass the switch.”
Victor looked toward the hall.
“We have company.”
Footsteps.
Marcus cursed.
Crowe appeared twenty feet away.
Gun in hand.
“Everybody stays calm.”
Victor faced him.
“You really don’t get tired of losing.”
Crowe laughed.
“Richard wants the medallion.”
Marcus continued working.
Crowe aimed at Ava.
“Give it to me.”
Victor slowly removed the medallion.
Crowe stepped closer.
Daniel shouted, “Victor, don’t.”
Victor threw it.
Crowe caught it.
In that second, Marcus cut the wire.
“Move!”
Victor pulled Ava backward.
Daniel knocked his chair sideways.
Crowe fired.
The bullet struck the wall.
Marcus returned fire.
Crowe vanished into the hallway.
Victor freed Daniel.
Ava hugged him before she could stop herself.
Daniel froze.
Then slowly wrapped his arms around her.
It lasted three seconds.
Maybe four.
Enough.
They escaped before Crowe could return.
Outside, Daniel leaned against the SUV.
Ava looked at him.
“What’s in the account?”
Daniel smiled bitterly.
“Evidence.”
“Richard said money.”
“Both.”
Victor frowned.
Daniel continued.
“The account holds money stolen through decades of criminal deals. But the access vault also contains records.”
“Enough to convict Richard?”
“Enough to bury half the people who protected him.”
Ava stared.
“Then why didn’t you expose it twenty-seven years ago?”
“Because the key requires two bloodline signatures.”
Victor understood.
“Mine and yours?”
Daniel shook his head.
“Victor and Ava.”
Ava looked stunned.
“Me?”
“Elena changed the protocol before she disappeared.”
Victor almost smiled.
“She made Richard need Ava.”
Daniel nodded.
“And that’s why she survived as a child.”
Ava stared.
“My mother saved my life by making me useful.”
Daniel nodded.
“And now Richard needs you alive.”
Marcus checked his phone.
“Not anymore.”
Everyone turned.
“What?”
Marcus showed the screen.
Richard Hale had just released a statement to the press.
Victor Hale was accused of kidnapping, fraud, and attempted murder.
Ava Bennett was described as his accomplice.
Daniel was officially declared dead.
Again.
And police were already approaching the building.
Sirens filled the distance.
May you like
Victor looked toward the highway.
Richard had just turned them into fugitives.
