Chapter 7 - The Ambush Was Designed to Kill Kieran — Until Claire Realized the Real Target Was Her
Everything happened too quickly.
Kieran's penthouse.
The fundraiser.
The photographers.
The champagne.
The senators.
The businessmen.
The perfect evening.
Claire felt the wrongness immediately.
A waiter carried an empty tray.
A security guard stood too still.
A woman in a red dress looked at Kieran twice.
Claire moved closer.
“Kieran.”
He turned.
“What's wrong?”
“Leave.”
“Why?”
“Now.”
The first shot came from the mezzanine.
Kieran barely saw the muzzle flash.
The man beside him folded to the marble floor.
The second round slammed into Kieran's armor.
Glass exploded.
The bodyguard vanished.
And then Claire understood.
The penthouse wasn't attacked because Kieran was there.
It was attacked because she was.
Someone had learned about the evidence in her mother's possession.
They wanted Claire dead before she could expose Evelyn.
Claire fired toward the mezzanine.
One shooter fell.
Another appeared behind Kieran.
She saw him.
She moved.
She pushed Kieran down.
The bullet grazed her shoulder.
Kieran shouted her name.
Claire rolled.
Fired twice.
The shooter dropped.
Smoke filled the room.
People screamed.
Security doors locked.
Then the emergency lights died.
Claire heard a whisper.
“North stairwell.”
She looked toward Kieran.
“I'll clear it.”
“No.”
“Stay here.”
“I said no.”
He grabbed her hand.
“You're bleeding.”
“So are you.”
“I'm not leaving you.”
Claire stared at him.
For years she had been alone.
Now someone was refusing to leave her.
They moved together.
Room by room.
Floor by floor.
Until they reached the underground garage.
A black SUV waited.
Inside was Evelyn's personal driver.
He surrendered immediately.
He had one final message.
“The woman who owns the money wants Claire.”
Kieran stared at him.
“Why?”
The driver answered.
“Because Claire is the only person who knows where the original ledger is.”
Claire frowned.
She didn't know.
Then she remembered her mother's bracelet.
The charm contained a hidden compartment.
Inside was a microchip.
They brought it to a secure lab.
The ledger appeared.
Names.
Accounts.
Judges.
Police officials.
Business leaders.
Years of payments.
Kieran looked at Claire.
“This ends everything.”
Claire shook her head.
“No.”
“What?”
“It starts something else.”
She pointed to a final account.
A Swiss trust.
Beneficiary:
Evelyn Cross.
Secondary beneficiary:
Kieran Walsh.
Kieran's face went blank.
“She wanted me to inherit.”
May you like
Claire nodded.
“After she killed everyone else.”
