Chapter 6 - The Father Who Had Been Lying For Fifteen Years
Raymond told them everything.
Elaine Whitaker had discovered the auction network fifteen years ago.
She had found evidence that Gabriel Marlowe was trafficking stolen medical records, blackmailing wealthy patients, and using vulnerable people as financial collateral.
She threatened to expose him.
Gabriel threatened her daughter.
Cora.
At the time, Cora was twelve.
Raymond panicked.
He signed a debt agreement with Gabriel in exchange for protection.
But Gabriel wanted more.
He wanted the evidence.
Elaine refused to tell him where it was.
So Gabriel arranged her death.
Raymond watched it happen.
He was supposed to protect Cora.
Instead, he broke.
He gambled.
He drank.
He borrowed.
And every time he failed, Gabriel reminded him that Cora's life depended on silence.
Cora stood motionless.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Raymond cried.
"Because I was afraid."
"You let me think you ruined my life because you were selfish."
"I was selfish."
"No."
Cora shook her head.
"You were afraid."
"That doesn't make it better."
"No."
She looked at him.
"But it explains why."
Julian remained silent.
Until Tomas called.
"Julian."
He answered.
"What?"
"We have a problem."
"What's wrong?"
"Gabriel has the ledger."
Julian's face hardened.
"What ledger?"
"The original account book."
Cora looked at him.
"Where?"
"At the old auction house."
Julian understood.
Gabriel was baiting them.
He wanted Julian there.
He wanted Cora there.
The final piece was Cora's mother's evidence.
They went anyway.
Because they had no choice.
The auction house had been abandoned.
Dust covered the marble floors.
Broken chandeliers hung from chains.
Julian led the way.
Cora stayed close.
They reached the main ballroom.
Gabriel was waiting.
He stood beneath the old chandelier.
Holding the ledger.
"You came."
Julian raised his gun.
"Let her go."
Gabriel laughed.
"I haven't touched her."
He tossed the ledger onto the table.
"You should read it."
Julian opened it.
Hundreds of names.
Payments.
Judges.
Doctors.
Police.
Politicians.
And one name repeated throughout.
Julian Voss.
Cora looked at him.
"Julian?"
He turned the page.
There were payments made by Julian's father.
Then another section.
Money paid to Elaine Whitaker.
Cora stared.
"Did my mother work for your family?"
Julian's face tightened.
"Apparently."
Gabriel smiled.
"That's what you never knew."
He stepped closer.
"Your mother wasn't just a nurse."
Cora's voice shook.
"What was she?"
"An informant."
Julian's eyes darkened.
Gabriel continued.
"She had been feeding information to your father since before Julian was born."
Julian looked stunned.
"No."
"Yes."
Gabriel smiled.
"And when she discovered what our organization was doing, she turned on us."
Cora couldn't breathe.
"Then why did you kill her?"
"Because she betrayed us."
Julian aimed his weapon.
"You killed her."
"Yes."
"And you used her daughter as collateral."
"Yes."
Cora stepped between them.
Julian stared at her.
"Get behind me."
"No."
"Cora."
She looked at Gabriel.
"You wanted the account book."
He smiled.
"I have it."
"No."
She pointed at the ledger.
"That's not the original."
The smile disappeared.
Cora reached into her coat.
She pulled out the photograph of her mother.
"She left me something else."
Julian looked at her.
"What?"
Cora held up a tiny memory card.
Gabriel went pale.
Her mother had hidden it inside the old photograph frame.
Proof.
Everything.
Names.
Transactions.
Confessions.
The entire empire.
Gabriel raised his gun.
Julian moved.
The shot rang out.
May you like
Cora screamed.
Julian fell.
