Chapter 4 - THE MAN WHO OWNED EVERY SECRETJonathan Pierce walked into the corridor like he belonged there.
Perfect suit.
Silver cufflinks.
Calm expression.
He was sixty-two and had spent decades convincing powerful people that he was indispensable.
He stopped when he saw them.
“Richard.”
Richard stepped forward.
“What are you doing here?”
Jonathan smiled.
“Checking on an old property.”
“This isn't your property.”
“Not technically.”
Maya watched him carefully.
Jonathan looked at her.
“So you're Maya Torres.”
“Yes.”
“I've heard a great deal.”
“Mostly bad?”
He smiled.
“Mostly inconvenient.”
Richard held up the letter.
“My father knew.”
Jonathan's smile disappeared.
For the first time, his eyes became cold.
“You should put that away.”
“No.”
“Richard.”
“You threatened him.”
Jonathan sighed.
“Your father was an emotional man.”
“You killed him.”
Jonathan stared at him.
“Be careful.”
Maya stepped between them.
“Threatening the owner of the hotel in front of security isn't a good strategy.”
Jonathan looked at her.
“You're very confident.”
“I have reason to be.”
He smiled.
“Do you?”
Maya raised the memory card.
“This contains footage.”
Jonathan's expression changed.
Victoria looked at Maya.
“What footage?”
“The attack yesterday.”
Jonathan glanced at Victoria.
She looked away.
Maya continued.
“And there are copies.”
Jonathan's jaw tightened.
“How many?”
“Enough.”
Richard looked at Maya.
She hadn't told him about the copies.
But he understood.
She had planned ahead.
Jonathan turned toward Victoria.
“You should have handled this.”
Victoria snapped,
“I tried.”
“You attacked her in front of eighty witnesses.”
Victoria looked humiliated.
“I didn't know who she was.”
“You knew enough.”
Maya noticed something.
Jonathan wasn't speaking to Victoria like a partner.
He was speaking to her like an employee.
That meant Victoria wasn't in control.
She had never been in control.
She had simply been useful.
Maya said,
“Why did you need the hotel?”
Jonathan looked at her.
“To move money.”
“And Edward found out.”
“Yes.”
Richard's face tightened.
“You admit it?”
Jonathan smiled.
“I admit nothing.”
“You just did.”
Jonathan looked toward the security officers.
“Do you really believe you can stop me?”
Maya answered,
“No.”
Jonathan looked surprised.
“I don't need to stop you.”
She held up her phone.
“I need you to keep talking.”
Jonathan's expression changed.
Recording.
He realized too late.
Maya had been recording everything.
Jonathan moved toward her.
Dean stepped in.
“Don't.”
Jonathan stopped.
Then he laughed.
“You think a recording will destroy me?”
Maya looked at him.
“No.”
She nodded toward the folder.
“This will.”
Jonathan's eyes narrowed.
“What is that?”
“Your father's original financial ledger.”
Richard stared.
“Where did you get that?”
“Your father gave it to someone before he died.”
“Who?”
Maya looked at Jonathan.
“Me.”
Silence.
Jonathan's face went pale.
“You?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Maya reached into her bag.
She pulled out an old photograph.
It showed Edward Hale standing beside a much younger Maya.
Richard stared at the photograph.
“You knew my father?”
Maya nodded.
“He wasn't just my former employer.”
She looked at Richard.
“He was my mentor.”
Jonathan whispered,
“No.”
Maya's voice hardened.
“He hired me when I was twenty-two.”
“Then why didn't you tell Richard?”
“Because Edward told me not to.”
Richard looked stunned.
“Why?”
Maya opened the ledger.
“Because he knew one day the truth would come back.”
Then she turned the page.
A name was circled in red.
JONATHAN PIERCE.
Below it was a payment.
May you like
And a date.
The date of Edward Hale's death.
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