Chapter 7 - Khloe Disappeared With the Final Evidence—And Left Me One Name I Never Expected
Khloe had left without telling anyone.
That alone terrified me.
She didn't disappear impulsively.
She was meticulous.
Which meant she had planned it.
Paulie searched her apartment.
Nothing.
Her office was untouched.
Her computer was gone.
Security footage showed her leaving alone at 2:14 a.m.
She looked directly at the camera before walking away.
That bothered me.
She wanted me to see it.
There was another clue.
A taxi receipt.
Baltimore.
I drove there immediately.
Thomas met me.
“She called me.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
“What did she say?”
“She found the person who ordered your father's murder.”
“Who?”
Thomas shook his head.
“She wouldn't tell me.”
“Then why go there?”
“She said the answer was connected to Elena.”
I called my mother.
She answered immediately.
“Vincent.”
“Khloe is missing.”
Silence.
Then:
“I know.”
“You knew?”
“She called me.”
“What did she say?”
“She found a woman named Rebecca.”
“Who is Rebecca?”
My mother's breathing changed.
“Your father's lawyer.”
“She’s dead.”
“No.”
I froze.
“She isn't.”
We found Rebecca in a protected apartment.
She was seventy.
Tired.
Terrified.
She had been hiding for eleven years.
She told us the truth.
My father had not been killed by Daniel.
Daniel had arranged the circumstances.
But someone else gave the final order.
A woman.
Rebecca had refused to name her.
“Who?”
She looked at me.
“You won't believe me.”
“Try.”
“Your father's business partner.”
“That narrows nothing.”
She whispered:
“Grace Costa.”
My aunt.
Elena's sister.
The woman I believed had died years ago.
No.
Impossible.
She had attended my father's funeral.
She had held my hand.
She had cried beside my mother.
She had told me Daniel would protect the company.
Rebecca handed me a photograph.
Grace.
Daniel.
Elliot Mercer.
All together.
My stomach turned.
“Where is Grace?”
“I don't know.”
“Where is Khloe?”
“She found out.”
“Then she went after Grace.”
We traced Grace to an old estate in Pennsylvania.
Khloe was there.
Alive.
She stood in the kitchen holding a file.
Grace sat at the table.
Older.
Elegant.
Cold.
I walked in.
Khloe looked at me.
“I told you not to come.”
“I don't follow instructions well.”
Grace smiled.
“You really are your father's son.”
I raised my gun.
“You ordered his death.”
“Yes.”
Khloe closed her eyes.
“Why?”
Grace looked at her.
“Because your father wanted to dismantle the organization.”
“There was nothing wrong with the legitimate company.”
“He wanted out.”
“That wasn't yours to control.”
Grace laughed.
“Families like ours don't get to leave.”
I stepped forward.
“You killed him for a business.”
“No.”
She looked at me.
“I killed him because he was going to expose everyone.”
“Everyone?”
She nodded.
“Daniel.”
“Elliot.”
“Gerald.”
“Me.”
“And Elena.”
My mother.
I froze.
“You tried to kill my mother too.”
“She survived.”
Grace smiled.
“You all survived longer than expected.”
Khloe stepped between us.
“You ruined my family.”
Grace shrugged.
“I gave everyone a chance to continue.”
“At what cost?”
Grace's expression hardened.
“Power always costs something.”
I heard sirens outside.
Grace smiled.
“You called the police.”
“No.”
Khloe held up her phone.
“I did.”
Grace laughed.
“You think that changes anything?”
I looked at her.
“It changes everything.”
The recording had captured her confession.
Police entered.
Grace was arrested.
The investigation finally exposed the entire chain.
Daniel.
Grace.
The financiers.
The shell companies.
My father's murder.
My mother's disappearance.
Thomas's fake death.
Khloe's secret.
Everything.
When we returned to Baltimore, Khloe stood outside the harbor.
She looked exhausted.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For leaving.”
“You scared me.”
“I know.”
“Don't do it again.”
She smiled.
“I won't.”
I stood beside her.
“Your father is alive.”
“I know.”
“Your mother is alive.”
“I know.”
“You have a family.”
She looked at me.
“So do you.”
I almost told her then.
Instead, I said:
“Go home.”
She frowned.
“This is my home.”
May you like
I looked at her.
And she understood.
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