Chapter 4 - Julian Cross Was Waiting Outside My Mother’s Room
Julian Cross was eighty-one years old.
At least, that was what the public records said.
The man standing in the hallway looked far younger.
Silver hair.
Perfect suit.
Straight posture.
Cold eyes.
He smiled when he saw Khloe.
“Your mother was always sentimental.”
Margaret stood behind Khloe.
“Leave.”
Cross ignored her.
He looked at Khloe.
“You've become exactly what she feared.”
“What?”
“Curious.”
Arthur moved between them.
“Mr. Cross, you're not welcome here.”
Cross smiled.
“Arthur Pendleton.”
“You know me.”
“I know everyone who matters.”
Khloe's voice was steady.
“Then you know I'm not leaving.”
Cross looked at the pendant around her neck.
“You found the list.”
Khloe's hand closed around it.
“Maybe.”
He laughed softly.
“You look like your mother.”
“Don't talk about her.”
“She was very intelligent.”
“You ruined her life.”
“No.”
He leaned slightly closer.
“Your mother ruined her own life by believing truth automatically defeats power.”
Khloe stared at him.
“What happened to my father?”
Cross said nothing.
Margaret whispered,
“He did it.”
Khloe turned.
“Did what?”
Margaret's face had gone pale.
“Your father stole the list from Cross.”
Cross smiled.
“And paid the price.”
“Did you kill him?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
He looked at Margaret.
“She knows.”
Khloe turned.
Her mother was trembling.
“Mom?”
Margaret finally said,
“Richard's father.”
Khloe's eyes widened.
“Richard Croft's father?”
Cross nodded.
“He was the one who gave the order.”
“And Richard?”
“Richard inherited everything.”
Khloe understood.
The empire.
The network.
The offshore accounts.
Richard hadn't built the machine.
He had simply inherited it.
Cross stepped backward.
“Bring me the list.”
“No.”
“Then people you care about will begin disappearing.”
Arthur's expression hardened.
“You're threatening us.”
“No.”
Cross smiled.
“I'm predicting consequences.”
Then he walked away.
Federal agents arrived minutes later.
But Cross was already gone.
Margaret sat down.
“He always does that.”
“What?”
“Makes people believe he is untouchable.”
Khloe knelt beside her.
“Tell me everything.”
Margaret took a long breath.
She revealed that after discovering the fraud, she had secretly copied the network's master records.
Her husband had stolen the membership list.
They planned to expose it.
Before they could, her husband was murdered.
Margaret fled.
She left Khloe with her sister.
Then Eleanor helped fake the fire report.
But Eleanor wasn't simply protecting them.
She had made a deal.
She would preserve the evidence in exchange for control over one branch of the network.
Khloe looked stunned.
“So Eleanor was involved.”
Margaret nodded.
“She wasn't innocent.”
Arthur said,
“But she helped you.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because she believed Cross would eventually destroy everything.”
Khloe asked,
“Why did Richard keep my photograph?”
Margaret's expression became complicated.
“Because Richard knew your mother had the list.”
“And he thought I had it.”
“He didn't know.”
Khloe looked at her locket.
“He knows now.”
Margaret reached for her hand.
“You must listen carefully.”
“What?”
“Don't trust Arthur.”
Silence.
Arthur stared.
Khloe turned.
“Why?”
Margaret looked frightened.
“He has been searching for the list for years.”
Arthur's face went pale.
“That isn't true.”
Margaret shook her head.
“I know what you think.”
Khloe slowly stood.
“Arthur?”
He looked at her.
“I hired Croll because I wanted the truth.”
“Did you know my mother?”
“No.”
“Then why did she say you were searching for the list?”
“Because someone used my name.”
Margaret shook her head.
“Your father was warned about a man in Boston.”
Arthur's face hardened.
“My father?”
“No.”
“Your mother.”
Arthur went quiet.
Khloe looked between them.
“What's happening?”
Arthur finally spoke.
“My father was an investor in one of Cross's companies.”
Khloe stared.
“Were you involved?”
“No.”
“Did you know the network existed?”
“Not until years later.”
“Then why keep investigating Richard?”
Arthur looked at her.
“Because Cross destroyed my family too.”
There was pain in his expression.
“My father's business collapsed.”
“Because of Richard?”
“Because of Cross.”
Arthur explained.
His father had been manipulated into investing in a fraudulent company.
He lost everything.
Then died believing he had ruined his family.
Arthur had spent twenty years building a fortune to expose the people responsible.
Khloe lowered her guard.
Maybe Margaret was wrong.
Or maybe Cross had planted doubt.
Then the facility alarm sounded.
All lights went out.
A scream came from the hallway.
Security doors slammed shut.
Arthur grabbed Khloe's arm.
“Stay behind me.”
They moved toward Margaret's room.
She was gone.
The bed was empty.
The window was open.
Snow blew through the room.
On the pillow was a note.
You found your mother.
Now find the man who took her.
Khloe stared at it.
Arthur whispered,
“Cross.”
“No.”
Khloe shook her head.
“This is too easy.”
She looked down.
Something had been left beneath the pillow.
A hospital bracelet.
It carried one name.
Richard Croft.
Khloe's blood ran cold.
Richard had not been taken away alone.
May you like
He had escaped custody.
And he had taken her mother.
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