Chapter 6 - THE TRAP
Elena refused to tell Julian where she was going.
That lasted approximately thirty seconds.
“You're going.”
“Yes.”
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“You don't get to decide.”
“I know.”
“Then move.”
“I won't.”
Elena stared.
Julian remained calm.
“You said you wanted to find the truth.”
“Yes.”
“Then we do it together.”
She wanted to argue.
Instead, she handed him the phone.
Julian studied the photograph.
“That school isn't Lily's school.”
Elena frowned.
“What?”
He zoomed in.
“The building behind her.”
She stared.
It was an old warehouse.
Not a school.
The person who sent the photograph had staged it.
Julian looked at her.
“They want you frightened enough to follow.”
Elena exhaled.
“Then what do we do?”
“We let them think you followed.”
They arrived at the warehouse at midnight.
Police were positioned three blocks away.
Julian had hired private security.
Daniel, still recovering from his gunshot wound, insisted on coming.
Elena hated the idea.
“You're supposed to be in a hospital.”
“I've spent twelve years hiding.”
He looked at Julian.
“I'm done.”
The warehouse door opened.
A man's voice called,
“Elena.”
She stepped forward.
Marcus Lawrence emerged.
Gray eyes.
Dark coat.
The same face she remembered from the night of the accident.
Her knees almost gave way.
“You.”
Marcus smiled.
“You remember.”
“You killed my father.”
“No.”
“You were there.”
“Yes.”
“You followed us.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Marcus looked at Julian.
“Because your father had something we needed.”
“What?”
“The ledger.”
Julian held up the old book.
“This?”
Marcus's expression changed.
“Yes.”
Julian smiled.
“You should have asked.”
Marcus pulled a gun.
Security moved.
Marcus fired into the ceiling.
Everyone froze.
“Back away.”
Julian stepped in front of Elena.
Marcus laughed.
“You always were brave.”
“You always were a coward.”
Marcus's face hardened.
“Give me the ledger.”
“No.”
Marcus pointed the gun at Elena.
Julian's expression changed.
“Fine.”
He held it out.
Marcus grabbed it.
Then Daniel stepped forward.
“Marcus.”
Marcus froze.
“You're dead.”
Daniel smiled.
“Apparently not.”
Marcus's face twisted.
“You were supposed to die.”
“So was Elena.”
Silence.
Marcus looked at both of them.
Then laughed.
“You have no idea how many people wanted you gone.”
Elena's voice shook.
“Who?”
“Your mother.”
Elena stared.
“What?”
Marcus smiled.
“Caroline knew too much.”
“You're lying.”
“She found the money.”
“What money?”
“The money your father stole.”
Elena looked at Julian.
Julian's expression changed.
Marcus continued.
“Your father wasn't innocent.”
Julian stiffened.
“He took money from Cross Industries.”
“No.”
“He planned to expose us.”
“That's not true.”
Marcus laughed.
“You still believe your father was perfect.”
Julian stepped forward.
“What did he do?”
Marcus opened the ledger.
“Look.”
He turned to a page.
Transfers.
Accounts.
Names.
Julian's father's signature.
Julian went pale.
Elena stared.
“This is forged.”
Marcus smiled.
“Prove it.”
Then Daniel spoke.
“I can.”
Marcus turned.
Daniel held up another document.
“The original ledger is at my house.”
Marcus's face changed.
“You're lying.”
“No.”
Daniel looked at Julian.
“The book Marcus took is a copy.”
Julian understood.
The real ledger had been hidden elsewhere.
Marcus cursed.
Then police sirens erupted outside.
Marcus ran.
Julian chased him.
They reached the loading dock.
Marcus jumped into a waiting vehicle.
It sped away.
But not before Elena saw the passenger.
Vivian.
Vivian was arrested the next morning.
Richard was arrested three hours later.
Marcus disappeared.
The case exploded across national news.
But Elena still felt uneasy.
The ledger proved financial crimes.
The tape proved Richard had ordered the accident.
But one question remained.
Who had helped Marcus disappear?
Then Martin called.
“You need to come to the office.”
Elena arrived.
Martin placed a file on the desk.
“This came from your mother's estate.”
“What is it?”
“Your father left something.”
Elena opened it.
Inside was a letter.
Her father's handwriting.
My daughter,
If you're reading this, then I failed to protect you.
I need you to know something.
I was not working against the Cross family.
I was working with them.
I discovered that someone inside the Lawrence family was moving money through a network of companies.
But Richard wasn't the mastermind.
He was following orders.
Elena looked up.
“Whose orders?”
Martin shook his head.
“Keep reading.”
She continued.
The person above Richard had access to both Lawrence and Cross accounts.
Someone with authority over both families.
Someone everyone trusted.
The final line made Elena stop.
I believe the person is someone Julian has known since childhood.
Elena looked at Martin.
“Who?”
Before he could answer, the office door opened.
Julian entered.
His face was pale.
“I know.”
Elena turned.
“Who?”
May you like
Julian looked at them.
“My mother.”
