Chapter 5 - The Woman Who Knew the Truth About Jack's Father
They escaped to the bunker before midnight.
Grace discovered that Jack's private security network was larger than most small companies.
She also discovered something else.
Jack had slept with a gun beside him for fourteen years.
“You never felt safe,” she said.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because everyone I trusted eventually wanted something.”
Grace looked at him.
“Do you want something from me?”
“No.”
“What if I offer?”
His expression changed.
She smiled faintly.
“You're not as cold as you pretend.”
He looked away.
“I don't know what to do with that.”
“With what?”
“You.”
Grace stopped.
Neither spoke.
Then the bunker alarm sounded.
Reed entered.
“Someone breached the perimeter.”
Jack immediately stood.
“How many?”
“Three.”
Jack looked at Grace.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Grace.”
“I’m done hiding.”
He stared.
“You could die.”
“So could you.”
“That doesn't make it acceptable.”
She stepped closer.
“You don't get to save everyone alone.”
Jack looked at her.
Something in his expression broke.
Then he kissed her.
It was brief.
Unexpected.
Intense.
When he pulled away, Grace whispered:
“That was definitely not part of my employment agreement.”
“You're not my employee anymore.”
“What am I?”
He looked at her.
“I don't know.”
The alarm sounded again.
The moment ended.
They escaped through the underground tunnel.
At the other end, an old woman was waiting.
Grace recognized her.
Mrs. Bell.
Her mother's former supervisor.
“Mrs. Bell?”
The woman nodded.
“Your mother told me you'd come.”
Grace stared.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“About everything?”
“Almost.”
Mrs. Bell handed her a letter.
“Your mother wanted you to have this.”
Grace opened it.
My Grace,
If you're reading this, you are older than I ever expected to see.
I'm sorry.
I wanted to tell you everything.
But I was afraid.
Your father knew about the Remingtons.
He was trying to help me.
He was murdered too.
Grace stopped breathing.
“My father?”
Mrs. Bell nodded.
“The story you were told was false.”
Grace looked at Jack.
His expression changed.
He had never known.
“Your father was a whistleblower,” Mrs. Bell continued.
“He discovered the network.”
“Marcus killed him.”
“Then Marcus hunted your mother.”
Grace cried.
“Why me?”
“Because your mother hid the ledger in your necklace.”
Grace touched the pendant.
Jack closed his eyes.
The pieces finally connected.
The pendant wasn't just a key.
It was the map.
A tiny engraving inside pointed to one account.
An account in Switzerland.
Jack stared.
“There's more.”
“Yes.”
Mrs. Bell whispered:
“The account contains proof that Marcus was working with someone else.”
“Who?”
She looked at Jack.
“Your grandfather.”
Jack went still.
His grandfather had died twenty years ago.
But if he had started the network, Marcus hadn't created anything.
He had inherited it.
Grace looked at Jack.
“This goes back further than either of us thought.”
“Yes.”
Jack took her hand.
May you like
“And we are ending it.”
---
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