Chapter 7 - The Little Girl Found the Hidden Message That Exposed the Real MastermindAdrien survived.
Barely.
The bullet had passed through his shoulder.
But Daniel had escaped.
And Molly was terrified.
Vincent sat beside her in the hospital waiting room while Hannah spoke to doctors.
“You don't have to stay,” Molly whispered.
Vincent looked at her.
“I know.”
“But you're staying.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Vincent looked down.
“Because you saved my life.”
Molly shook her head.
“No.”
“No?”
“I think you saved yours.”
Vincent stared.
Children could be cruelly honest.
Molly reached into her backpack.
“There was one more thing.”
Vincent took a breath.
“Please tell me it's not another recording.”
“It is.”
Of course.
Molly pressed PLAY.
The room filled with static.
Then a voice.
Julian.
“If Molly ever finds this, she is the reason Vincent survives.”
Vincent closed his eyes.
Julian continued.
“She has no idea who she is.”
Molly frowned.
Vincent looked at her.
The recording continued.
“The Reed family was part of the original network.”
Hannah went pale.
Vincent looked at her.
“You knew?”
Hannah shook her head.
“No.”
Julian said:
“Her father was one of the only people who refused to sell children to the Crown.”
Vincent's expression hardened.
Molly's father.
The man Hannah had said died when Molly was two.
“He was murdered.”
Hannah covered her mouth.
Julian continued.
“His death was blamed on a rival organization.”
Vincent looked at Molly.
“She was targeted because of what her father knew.”
Hannah whispered, “What did he know?”
Julian answered in the recording.
“He knew who the real Broker was.”
Vincent leaned forward.
The recording crackled.
Then Julian said:
“It isn't my father.”
Vincent froze.
“It isn't Vincent's father.”
“It isn't Daniel.”
“It isn't Adrien.”
Molly whispered, “Then who?”
Julian answered:
“The Broker is a title.”
Silence.
“The current Broker is whoever controls the crown ledger.”
Vincent stared.
The ledger from the vault.
Then Molly shook her head.
“No.”
“What?”
She pointed to the recording device.
“Listen.”
They replayed it.
Behind Julian's voice was a faint clicking sound.
Seven clicks.
Three.
One.
Seven.
Evelyn rushed into the room.
“What?”
Molly explained.
Evelyn went pale.
“It's not a code.”
“What is it?”
“A timestamp.”
Vincent looked at her.
“For what?”
“The video was made before Julian died.”
“How much before?”
“Exactly eleven minutes.”
Frank entered.
He was bleeding.
Vincent stood.
“What happened?”
“Daniel's people attacked our safe house.”
“And Hannah?”
“She's safe.”
Molly looked terrified.
Frank lowered his voice.
“There's something else.”
He handed Vincent a photograph.
A woman.
Older.
Gray hair.
Standing beside Daniel.
Vincent recognized her.
Margaret Hale.
His father's former attorney.
Dead for twenty years.
Or supposedly dead.
Frank said:
“We found her alive.”
Vincent stared.
“Where?”
“She contacted us.”
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“Why?”
“She says she knows who the current Broker is.”
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