Chapter 9 - Say Your Last Words
The wedding was supposed to be peaceful.
It wasn't.
Two days before the ceremony, Rafe disappeared.
At first, everyone assumed he had been pulled into business.
Then his security team stopped answering.
His car was found near the river.
No body.
No blood.
Only a single note.
Josie,
Come alone.
At the bottom was a location.
The grain elevator.
Again.
Josie knew it was a trap.
She also knew she would go.
She arrived alone.
The building was dark.
Cold.
The same smell of grain and rust filled the air.
Footsteps echoed.
Camila stepped from the shadows.
Josie stared.
“Where is Rafe?”
“Safe.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
Camila's eyes were wet.
“I didn't want this.”
“Neither did I.”
A second figure appeared.
Helena Vale.
Josie immediately understood.
“This is about Arthur Bell.”
“No.”
Helena shook her head.
“This is about what Bell left behind.”
“What?”
“A ledger.”
Josie stared.
“Where is it?”
Helena smiled.
“Hidden somewhere no one thought to search.”
She pointed toward a metal staircase.
“Your father's old workshop.”
Josie frowned.
“My father didn't have a workshop.”
“He did.”
Helena revealed that Bell had used it as a hidden meeting location.
Josie suddenly remembered the steel watch.
The watch had been repaired there.
The real secret wasn't inside the watch.
It was inside the tool case.
Her father's old tool case had been stored in the apartment basement for years.
She remembered something.
A missing screwdriver.
A hollow handle.
A hidden key.
They returned to the apartment.
The key opened a locker.
Inside was the ledger.
Names.
Payments.
Evidence.
The final piece.
But before Josie could take it, the lights went out.
Helena screamed.
A gunshot echoed.
Josie ducked.
When the lights returned, Helena was gone.
Camila was injured.
And Rafe was nowhere.
Then Josie's phone rang.
A man's voice said:
“Come to the river.”
She went.
Rafe was tied to a chair.
The man standing behind him was someone she had never considered.
Sunny Falco.
Rafe's oldest adviser.
Josie froze.
Sunny smiled.
“Five years.”
He shook his head.
“You worked for us for five years.”
Josie's blood ran cold.
“You were protecting Bell.”
“I was protecting myself.”
Rafe struggled against the ropes.
“Josie, don't listen.”
Sunny pointed the gun.
“You have the ledger.”
“Yes.”
“Bring it.”
Josie held it.
Sunny smiled.
“Good.”
She stepped closer.
He grabbed it.
Then he said something she would remember forever.
“You have done more damage than your father ever could.”
Josie stared.
“My father tried to expose you.”
“He failed.”
“So did you.”
Sunny's smile vanished.
He pointed the gun toward Rafe.
“Say your last words.”
Josie stepped forward.
“Wait.”
Sunny looked at her.
“Any final message for your husband?”
Josie stared at him.
Then answered:
“Yes.”
Sunny smiled.
“Go ahead.”
Josie looked at Rafe.
“You were never a monster.”
Sunny frowned.
Rafe stared at her.
“You were a man who spent too long believing you had to become one.”
Sunny laughed.
Josie continued.
“And the people who tried to control you never understood one thing.”
“What?”
“That you were never alone.”
Sunny's eyes narrowed.
Then Josie smiled.
“Because I brought everyone.”
The lights suddenly came on.
Police surrounded the warehouse.
Nico entered first.
Then federal agents.
Camila stood behind them.
Sunny froze.
The ledger he had stolen was not the real ledger.
Josie had switched it before arriving.
The real evidence had already been uploaded.
Sunny raised his gun.
He never fired.
Rafe's security team disarmed him.
As Sunny was arrested, Rafe looked at Josie.
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
“You could have been killed.”
“So could you.”
He smiled.
“You sound like me.”
She laughed.
“Unfortunately.”
Rafe was released.
The next morning, they stood in the garden at the house.
The wedding had been postponed.
Again.
Juny complained.
“We have to stop letting criminals ruin everything.”
Rafe nodded.
“She has a point.”
Josie laughed.
Then Rafe took her hand.
“No more postponements.”
“Agreed.”
May you like
They kissed.
And this time, the future no longer felt fragile.
