Chapter 7 - The River Tunnel And The Truth About Daniel's Death
The old river tunnel entrance was beneath an abandoned warehouse.
We went at midnight.
Me.
Marcus.
Martin.
And six men I trusted.
Rosie stayed in a secure house with a doctor.
I hated leaving her.
But I knew she was safer away from the fight.
The tunnel smelled like wet stone and rust.
Water dripped from the ceiling.
Our flashlights moved across old walls.
Then we found a steel door.
Beyond it was a room filled with boxes.
Documents.
Photographs.
Hard drives.
And a tape recorder.
I pressed play.
Daniel's voice.
"If Ethan found this, then I'm already gone."
I closed my eyes.
He continued.
"Our father was not the architect."
That surprised me.
"He was a coward."
Daniel's voice shook.
"He helped them because he was afraid."
I listened.
"Victor Harlan built the network."
Martin stared.
Daniel continued.
"Martin has been trying to stop him from inside."
I looked at Martin.
He nodded.
"My father is guilty."
"Martin is guilty."
"But neither killed me."
Daniel paused.
"The man who gave the order was Derek Mercer."
I stared.
Derek.
My blood went cold.
He had lied for years.
Daniel had discovered Derek had been laundering money through the Mercer family businesses.
Derek betrayed him.
But Derek hadn't acted alone.
He had been ordered by Victor.
The recording continued.
"Lena is protecting my daughter."
"Rosalie is the key."
"Not because of money."
"Because she carries the last genetic authorization to open the Cole trust."
I finally understood.
Daniel had anticipated everything.
He had made Rosie the one person Victor couldn't simply eliminate without losing access to what he wanted.
Then the recording changed.
A final message.
"Ethan."
I listened.
"If you are hearing this, you probably want revenge."
I laughed bitterly.
"Don't."
His voice softened.
"Protect them."
"Then walk away."
"I don't want my death to make you into the man who killed me."
The recording ended.
I sat in silence.
Martin spoke.
"There's more."
He pointed to another box.
Inside was a photograph of Lena.
She had been holding Rosie.
Behind her was Daniel.
Alive.
It had been taken six months before his death.
On the back:
One day she will know who her father was.
My chest tightened.
I heard a noise.
Footsteps.
We turned.
Derek appeared.
He was holding Lena at gunpoint.
My father was beside him.
Victor stood behind them.
"You found it."
I stepped forward.
"Let them go."
Victor smiled.
"Not yet."
Lena's eyes met mine.
She mouthed:
Don't.
I stopped.
Victor held up the ledger.
"You think this is about money."
"It's not."
"No."
He smiled.
"It's about control."
He wanted the names.
The politicians.
The judges.
The businessmen.
The people who had allowed him to build his empire.
If the evidence disappeared, Victor could own the city.
He pointed at Rosie's file.
"And the trust gives me access to billions."
I stared.
"You won't get it."
He smiled.
"I already have the lawyer."
Martin stepped forward.
Victor's men aimed at him.
"I can open the trust."
Martin said.
Victor laughed.
"No."
"Daniel changed the authorization."
Martin looked at him.
"The trust requires two family signatures."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
Mine.
And Rosalie's.
He needed me alive.
That was why I had survived so long.
Victor ordered his men to bind us.
Lena looked at me.
Then whispered:
"Check your watch."
I frowned.
My brother's old watch.
I had worn it since I was twenty-one.
I looked at the face.
There was a tiny scratch.
Daniel had given it to me.
I twisted the crown.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside was a small key.
The final one.
Victor didn't know.
I smiled.
Lena understood.
Martin moved.
He knocked the nearest gun away.
I tackled Derek.
The tunnel exploded into chaos.
Shots.
Screams.
Footsteps.
Victor ran.
Lena grabbed my father.
I pulled Derek away.
He swung at me.
I hit him.
He stumbled.
"You killed Daniel."
"No."
"You gave the order."
"No."
"I know the truth."
He laughed.
"Then ask your father."
I looked at my father.
He was bleeding.
"Did Derek kill Daniel?"
My father shook his head.
"No."
"Who?"
He whispered:
"Victor."
Victor had already disappeared.
Sirens echoed above.
Federal agents entered the tunnel.
Martin had contacted them.
The original documents were secured.
The network was exposed.
Derek was arrested.
My father was taken to the hospital.
Lena was safe.
But Victor was gone.
And as I stood there with the final key in my hand, I realized he was not finished.
May you like
Because he still had one person.
Rosie.
