Chapter 6 - The Dinner Was a Trap, and We Walked Into It Anyway
We returned to Manhattan under fake identities.
The Founders' Dinner was scheduled again.
Desmond had insisted.
This time, I knew exactly what he wanted.
The ledger.
Claire wore the same black dress.
Evan wore a black suit.
Monica came with us.
My father stayed hidden nearby with federal investigators he had secretly contacted years earlier.
The ballroom looked beautiful.
Elegant.
Expensive.
Deadly.
Desmond greeted me at the door.
"Roman."
I smiled.
"Uncle."
He looked at Claire.
"Still the secretary?"
She smiled.
"Still underestimated."
He laughed.
"I like her."
"You shouldn't."
He looked at me.
"You're very sure of yourself tonight."
"I know more than I did last time."
Desmond's eyes narrowed.
"About your father?"
I smiled.
"About everything."
We sat.
Dinner began.
No one touched the food.
Every person at the table was watching someone else.
Then Desmond placed a small box in front of me.
"Open it."
Inside was a silver key.
Claire went still.
"That's Daniel's."
Desmond smiled.
"Yes."
I looked at him.
"Where is the child?"
"Alive."
"Bring her here."
"No."
Desmond leaned closer.
"First the ledger."
I looked at Claire.
She nodded.
I handed over the fake storage key.
Desmond smiled.
"You think I'm stupid."
Claire spoke.
"No."
He looked at her.
"You think we're stupid."
That stopped him.
Claire continued.
"You already know where the ledger is."
Desmond smiled.
"Do I?"
"Yes."
She placed the old notebook on the table.
"Because you've been searching for it for seventeen years."
Desmond's face changed.
Claire had found something.
She opened the ledger.
"Your own initials are here."
Desmond's voice lowered.
"You have no idea what you're holding."
"I do."
She turned a page.
"Your father."
Another.
"My brother."
Another.
"Roman's father."
Another.
"Your daughter."
Desmond froze.
Monica covered her mouth.
Claire had discovered the final pattern.
Desmond's financial network had been built through generations.
The ledger was not simply evidence.
It was a map.
Who controlled which port.
Which judge owed money.
Which company was a shell.
Which politician took payments.
And most importantly, which child had been used as leverage.
Desmond had been controlling everyone through family.
He looked at Monica.
"Bring my granddaughter."
"No."
He smiled.
"You'll change your mind."
The doors opened.
A man dragged a little girl into the room.
Monica screamed.
Desmond held the gun against the girl's shoulder.
"Now."
Monica stood.
I stopped her.
"Wait."
Claire whispered:
"Look at his watch."
I frowned.
"What?"
"His watch."
Desmond wore a gold watch.
The second hand wasn't moving.
I understood.
A signal device.
He wasn't controlling the room.
Someone else was.
I looked toward the balcony.
My father stood there.
Alive.
Armed.
He had come with agents.
"Federal agents!" someone shouted.
Chaos exploded.
Desmond grabbed the girl.
Monica lunged.
Claire ran toward them.
I tackled Desmond.
The gun fired.
The bullet hit the ceiling.
Evan took down one of the guards.
My father secured the child.
Desmond escaped through a side door.
I chased him.
He disappeared into the service corridor.
Then stopped.
"You won't understand until it's too late."
I raised my gun.
"Where is the final ledger key?"
He laughed.
"Ask Claire."
I turned.
Claire stood behind me.
She had tears in her eyes.
"What?"
She reached into her purse.
Removed the necklace.
Inside was the memory chip.
"I've had it all along."
Desmond smiled.
"Exactly."
Then he jumped through a fire exit.
By the time I reached the door, he was gone.
Claire stared at me.
"The chip isn't complete."
"What is missing?"
"My brother's voice."
She inserted the chip into a tablet.
A recording played.
Daniel spoke.
"Claire, the final piece isn't data."
A pause.
"It's a confession."
The recording ended.
May you like
Claire looked at me.
"We need Desmond alive."
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