Chapter 7 - The Betrayal Inside the Cross Family
The next twenty-four hours destroyed everything Vincent believed.
Michael had vanished.
Fay had disappeared.
Evelyn was being held somewhere unknown.
Anthony had survived the shooting, but barely.
And the ledger was incomplete.
Someone had torn out the last twenty pages.
The pages that supposedly contained the names of the real people behind the network.
Vincent returned to the estate alone.
The hallways were empty.
Too empty.
Julian stood in the main room.
“You came back.”
“Where were you?”
“Looking for Fay.”
“Where?”
“No idea.”
Vincent stared at him.
“Why didn't you follow her?”
Julian smiled.
“You think I took her.”
“I think everyone is a suspect.”
“Even me?”
“Especially you.”
Julian's expression hardened.
“You're losing perspective.”
“No.”
Vincent stepped closer.
“I'm finally gaining it.”
Julian pulled a gun.
Vincent didn't move.
“Are you going to shoot me?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I want you to hear this first.”
Julian tossed a photograph onto the table.
It showed Fay's father.
Standing with Elias.
Vincent stared.
“When?”
“Six years ago.”
“You said Michael had no contact with him.”
“I lied.”
“Why?”
“Because he asked me to.”
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
“Your mother.”
Silence.
Julian continued.
“Evelyn knew Michael was alive.”
“Why?”
“Because she was helping him.”
“Against Anthony?”
“Yes.”
“Then why hide it?”
“Because Michael believed there was a traitor inside the family.”
“Who?”
Julian hesitated.
“You.”
Vincent laughed.
“I knew you were going to say that.”
“But he wasn't right.”
“Who then?”
Julian reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small recording device.
A voice played.
Vincent's father.
“If anything happens to me, don't trust the people closest to you.”
Then Evelyn's voice.
“I'll protect him.”
Then another voice.
Julian.
“I will.”
Vincent stared at his brother.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because someone was monitoring us.”
“Who?”
Julian said:
“Victor.”
Vincent froze.
Victor Hale had been his father's old attorney.
He had later become Vincent's legal adviser.
A man Vincent trusted completely.
“He died.”
Julian shook his head.
“No.”
“What?”
“He staged it.”
The truth came out rapidly.
Victor had been the real architect.
He had manipulated Anthony.
He had manipulated Elias.
He had used the Cross family against itself.
He had arranged Michael's disappearance.
He had influenced Vincent's father's death.
He had even arranged Donovan's corruption.
And Fay?
She was the final piece.
Because her father had hidden the ledger.
Vincent's phone rang.
Victor.
Vincent answered.
“Where is Fay?”
A soft laugh.
“She's safe.”
“Where?”
“Where your father first met Michael.”
“Give me an address.”
“Come alone.”
“You've said that before.”
“Then you should know how this ends.”
The call ended.
Julian looked at Vincent.
“Don't go.”
“I have to.”
“You'll die.”
“Maybe.”
Julian grabbed his arm.
“You don't understand.”
Vincent looked at him.
“What?”
“I went there once.”
“When?”
“After our father died.”
“And?”
“I saw him.”
“Who?”
“Michael.”
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
“What was he doing?”
“Watching.”
“Watching what?”
“You.”
The answer was chilling.
The location was an old mountain lodge.
Vincent found Fay there.
She was unharmed.
Michael was beside her.
Victor stood across the room.
He looked older than Vincent remembered.
But calm.
“You.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because your father took everything from me.”
“What?”
“My family.”
“Your family died?”
“No.”
Victor smiled.
“They were killed.”
“By whom?”
“By your father.”
Vincent stared.
“That's impossible.”
“Ask Michael.”
Michael said nothing.
Victor explained.
Years ago, Vincent's father had ordered a shipment intercepted.
It contained members of Victor's family.
They were killed during a territorial conflict.
Victor blamed the Crosses.
He infiltrated the organization.
He waited.
Then he created the chaos that destroyed it from within.
“You used Elias.”
“Yes.”
“Anthony.”
“Yes.”
“Donovan.”
“Yes.”
“My mother?”
“Unwillingly.”
“My brother?”
“Partly.”
“And Fay?”
Victor looked at her.
“She was the leverage.”
Vincent moved forward.
“What do you want?”
“The ledger.”
“It's incomplete.”
“I know.”
“Then why bring me here?”
“Because the missing pages are inside your father's grave.”
Vincent stared.
“My father?”
Victor nodded.
“The man you buried was not the man you thought he was.”
Vincent went to the cemetery.
He opened the hidden compartment beneath the grave marker.
Inside was a sealed case.
The missing pages.
And one letter.
From his father.
Vincent opened it.
My son,
The person who destroys this family will not come from outside.
It will be the person we taught to love us.
Vincent looked at the final page.
One name was written.
Victor Hale.
But beneath it was another.
Evelyn Cross.
Vincent froze.
He turned.
May you like
His mother stood behind him.
And she was holding a gun.
