Chapter 6 - The Ledger Revealed That Gideon’s Own Father Had Hidden the Truth
The old Bright Star Center was abandoned by noon.
Snow covered the courtyard.
Gideon entered alone.
He carried the ledger in a black case.
The building was silent.
Too silent.
“Where is she?”
His voice echoed.
A light came on.
Evelyn Shaw stepped from the darkness.
Gideon pointed his weapon.
“Where's Norah?”
Evelyn smiled.
“You always were predictable.”
“Where is she?”
“Safe.”
“Bring her out.”
“Not yet.”
Gideon studied her.
“You killed Michael.”
She smiled.
“He betrayed us.”
“He was your friend.”
“He became a liability.”
“And Juniper?”
Evelyn's expression changed.
“I didn't kill her.”
“You ordered it.”
“No.”
She looked almost amused.
“Michael did.”
Gideon stared.
“My brother.”
“Yes.”
“And you covered it up.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because your father was going to expose the whole thing.”
Gideon felt sick.
“You used my foundation.”
“We used everyone's money.”
“For what?”
Evelyn laughed.
“For power.”
She opened the ledger.
“The foundation was never just charity.”
Gideon stared at the pages.
Names.
Payments.
Government officials.
Judges.
Security contractors.
Doctors.
Hospital administrators.
His father's name appeared.
Adrian Vale.
But beside it was another name.
Lydia Miller.
And one final entry.
JUNIPER VALE — INCIDENT 12/19.
Gideon’s hands began shaking.
“What is this?”
“Your father had proof that Juniper's death was intentional.”
“Then why didn't he tell me?”
“Because he was afraid.”
“Of whom?”
Evelyn smiled.
“Me.”
She stepped closer.
“Your father planned to hand the ledger to federal investigators.”
“But he didn't.”
“Because Michael betrayed him.”
“Then where is my father?”
Evelyn's smile faded.
“Dead.”
“Liar.”
“Ask Lydia.”
Gideon went still.
Evelyn pointed toward a speaker.
Lydia's voice played.
“Adrian is alive.”
Then static.
A second recording.
“Take him to the storage facility.”
Gideon looked at Evelyn.
“You kept my father alive.”
“For a while.”
“Where?”
“You'll never know.”
Gideon raised his weapon.
“Where is Norah?”
“Upstairs.”
He moved.
Evelyn smiled.
“Before you go, there is one thing you should know.”
“What?”
“She isn't the only child I took.”
Gideon stopped.
“What?”
Evelyn opened a file.
Photos.
Dozens of children.
Names.
Dates.
A program under Bright Star.
Gideon stared.
His foundation had been used to disappear vulnerable children.
Some had been sold.
Some had vanished.
And Lydia had been investigating it.
Norah had witnessed one of the transactions.
That was why they were hunting her.
Because she had seen too much.
Gideon felt rage.
But he didn't fire.
He walked upstairs.
Norah sat tied to a chair.
Her rabbit was beside her.
Gideon cut the restraints.
“You okay?”
She threw herself into his arms.
“I knew you would come.”
He held her.
“I promised.”
They escaped through a side corridor.
Outside, Marcus and federal agents were waiting.
Evelyn was arrested.
But Gideon wasn't satisfied.
His father was still missing.
And the ledger suggested he might have been alive after Juniper's death.
They searched the storage facility.
They found blood.
Documents.
A photograph.
And an old recording.
Adrian Vale appeared on screen.
Older.
Bruised.
But alive.
“Gideon.”
He stared directly into the camera.
“If you're watching this, I'm probably dead.”
Gideon's heart broke.
“I need you to know something.”
“I tried to protect you.”
“I tried to protect Juniper.”
“I failed.”
The recording ended.
Gideon sank into a chair.
Norah sat beside him.
“Your daddy?”
“My father.”
“He sounds nice.”
Gideon nodded.
“He was.”
Norah took his hand.
“Then maybe he's still waiting.”
Gideon looked at her.
The child had unknowingly said what he needed to hear.
Maybe hope wasn't foolish.
Maybe some things survived longer than grief.
May you like
Maybe his father had left clues.
Maybe Juniper's story wasn't over.
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