Chapter 6 - The Woman Who Knew Too Much
Camille met Arthur beneath the train tracks at midnight.
He came alone.
At least that's what she thought.
She stood beneath a flickering light, wrapped in a black coat over her evening dress.
“You came.”
Arthur stopped ten feet away.
“You said Norah would die.”
Camille swallowed.
“I was trying to make you come.”
“Who are you working for?”
“Nobody.”
“Don't lie.”
Her eyes filled.
“I swear.”
Arthur stared.
“Then explain.”
Camille looked down.
“My father has been laundering money through Arthur Vale Holdings for years.”
Arthur's jaw tightened.
“I know.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You don't.”
She handed him a folder.
Inside were bank records.
Offshore accounts.
Shell companies.
Shipping manifests.
And one name repeated across every document.
Elliot Sterling.
Arthur looked up.
“Why are you helping me?”
“Because he killed my brother.”
Arthur froze.
“What?”
“Three years ago, my brother found the same information.”
Camille wiped a tear away.
“My father called it an accident.”
Arthur glanced at the documents.
“You knew.”
“I suspected.”
“And you still agreed to marry me.”
“My father told me if I refused, he'd kill my mother.”
Arthur's expression softened slightly.
“Where is your mother?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
Arthur understood.
“She took her away.”
Camille nodded.
“I never loved you.”
Arthur's jaw tightened.
“I know.”
“But I never hated you either.”
Arthur looked at her.
“You should have told me.”
“I tried.”
“When?”
“Every time I asked you why your father never liked me.”
She handed him another file.
Arthur opened it.
His face changed.
Inside were surveillance photos of Norah.
Pregnant.
Entering the restaurant.
Leaving work.
Walking to the train.
There were dates.
Times.
Locations.
Camille whispered:
“My father has been tracking her for months.”
Arthur's voice dropped.
“He knows about the baby.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Camille hesitated.
“He wants Arthur Vale Holdings.”
“He can buy it.”
“He doesn't want to buy it.”
She looked directly into Arthur's eyes.
“He wants you to destroy it yourself.”
Arthur understood.
“By making me choose between my family and the company.”
Camille nodded.
“Once you hand over the ledger, he'll use it to blackmail everyone connected to your father's operation.”
Arthur folded the files.
“Where is Norah now?”
Camille's face changed.
“Your house.”
Arthur checked his phone.
Three missed calls.
His blood froze.
He called his security chief.
No answer.
He called again.
Nothing.
Arthur and Camille raced to the townhouse.
The front gate was open.
The guards were unconscious.
Arthur ran inside.
“Norah!”
Silence.
Her bedroom was empty.
The nursery furniture box had been ripped open.
On the floor was her engagement ring.
Arthur picked it up.
His breathing stopped.
A note lay beneath it.
BRING THE LEDGER TO THE OLD UNION STATION.
MIDNIGHT.
COME ALONE.
Arthur stared at the ring.
Camille stepped forward.
“This is my fault.”
Arthur looked at her.
“No.”
“This was planned.”
“Yes.”
“You trusted me.”
“I never did.”
She almost smiled.
“Fair.”
Daniel entered behind them.
He saw the empty room.
His face hardened.
“She's been taken.”
Arthur nodded.
“We have one hour.”
They prepared.
But Arthur refused to take the ledger.
Instead, he made a copy.
Then another.
Daniel smiled.
“That's the brother I remember.”
Arthur looked at him.
“You always were smarter.”
“No.”
Daniel shook his head.
“You were always the one who cared.”
Arthur pocketed the fake ledger.
Camille took one last breath.
“I know a way into Union Station that they don't know about.”
Arthur nodded.
“Show us.”
They moved through the city underground.
At the abandoned station, Norah was tied to a chair.
Her stomach hurt.
A man stood behind her.
Elliot Sterling.
Elegant.
Calm.
Almost grandfatherly.
“I apologize for the accommodations.”
Norah glared.
“You're insane.”
“Perhaps.”
He crouched.
“But I understand markets.”
“I'm not a market.”
“No.”
He looked at her stomach.
“You are leverage.”
Norah felt rage burning through her.
“You're not getting my baby.”
“I don't need your baby.”
He smiled.
“I need Arthur.”
Norah understood.
“You want him.”
“I want what he controls.”
“And when you get it?”
“I retire.”
Norah laughed bitterly.
“You actually think men like you retire?”
Elliot's smile vanished.
“Men like me do whatever they please.”
He stood.
“Arthur has thirty minutes.”
Norah looked at the clock.
Twenty-nine.
Twenty-eight.
Then she noticed something.
The rope around her wrist was loose.
She looked toward the dark corner.
A security camera.
Red light.
She slowly moved her finger.
One loop.
Two.
The rope shifted.
She could get free.
But she needed time.
She whispered:
“Your daughter knows everything.”
Elliot froze.
“What?”
“Camille told me.”
His face changed.
Norah smiled.
“That's why you're scared.”
Elliot stepped closer.
“You know nothing about my daughter.”
“I know she hates you.”
That did it.
His restraint cracked.
He grabbed Norah's arm.
“You will never speak about her again.”
Norah screamed.
At that exact moment, the station lights went out.
Gunshots erupted.
Arthur stormed through the platform.
Daniel took the left side.
Camille took the right.
Elliot's men panicked.
Arthur found Norah.
He cut the rope.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Baby?”
“Moving.”
He exhaled.
Then Elliot appeared behind them.
Gun raised.
Camille stepped between them.
“Dad.”
Elliot stared at her.
“You.”
“I told you I'd never become you.”
Elliot laughed.
“You already did.”
Camille shook her head.
“No.”
She pointed toward him.
“I became the woman who finally stopped you.”
Police lights flooded the station.
Daniel had called federal investigators.
Arthur looked at Camille.
“How?”
She handed over her phone.
“I sent them everything.”
Elliot lowered his weapon.
Too late.
Agents swarmed him.
He was arrested.
Richard was arrested two hours later at the airport.
The operation that had controlled Chicago's shipping routes began collapsing before sunrise.
Arthur stood beside Norah outside the station.
She leaned against him.
“You came.”
“I promised.”
She smiled faintly.
“I don't know whether I can trust you.”
Arthur nodded.
“You don't have to.”
She looked at him.
“Not yet.”
“Not yet.”
For the first time, Arthur understood what hope felt like.
May you like
It wasn't certainty.
It was the chance to earn something again.
