Chapter 11 - Eleanor’s final witness
Nathan Cole looked less afraid of the authorities than he did of the woman’s voice.
“Eleanor,” he said.
“You still sound disappointed that I survived.”
Victoria moved toward the drive.
“Where are you?”
The voice softened.
“I am sorry, Vicky.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
For a moment, the red gown, the jewels and the practiced confidence disappeared. She looked like a younger sister who had spent years waiting for someone to come home.
“You left me,” she whispered.
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
“You sent me into this family.”
“No. Nathan did.”
Cole aimed his weapon toward the drive.
David stepped in front of it.
“Do not,” Eleanor warned. “The transmission has already begun.”
One of Cole’s contractors backed toward the stairs.
“I am leaving.”
Cole turned the weapon on him.
“No one leaves.”
The contractor stopped.
Eleanor continued.
“David, your father created three copies of the archive. The drives in front of you are only the verification set. Destroying them changes nothing.”
“Where is my father?” David asked.
Silence followed.
Sarah stared at the device.
“Is he alive?”
Eleanor’s answer came carefully.
“Henry survived the vehicle crash.”
Sarah gripped the table.
David felt a surge of hope, followed immediately by anger.
“Where is he?”
“He was injured. Nathan’s men reached the scene before I did.”
Cole smiled without warmth.
“Do not believe her.”
Eleanor ignored him.
“Henry was taken to a private medical facility. By the time I located it, he had been moved.”
“Moved where?” Sarah demanded.
“I do not know.”
Cole raised his chin.
“Because he died.”
“Then why did you continue paying for his confinement?” Eleanor asked.
The chamber fell silent.
Cole’s contractors exchanged looks.
David watched the man who had called himself Colonel Pierce for most of his life.
“You kept my father alive.”
Cole’s mouth tightened.
“He possessed information I needed.”
“For how long?”
“Nine years.”
Sarah made a sound that was almost a sob.
For nine years, she had visited an empty grave.
For nine years, Henry might have been waiting somewhere while his family believed him dead.
David took one step toward Cole.
“Where is he?”
Cole raised the weapon.
“Stop.”
“Where is my father?”
“I do not know his current location.”
“You just admitted you kept him.”
“Marcus managed the transfers.”
“Marcus is inside the mansion.”
David looked toward the stairs.
Cole seemed to realize the implication at the same moment.
Marcus knew where Henry had been held.
Cole lifted a radio from his belt.
“Team two, report.”
Static answered.
He tried again.
No response.
Eleanor’s voice returned.
“You should check the mansion cameras, Nathan.”
The screen on the drive changed.
A live security image appeared.
Marcus stood in the foyer with his hands raised.
Behind him were local police officers and federal agents.
Colonel Cole’s vehicles were surrounded.
David recognized the woman leading the operation from the original Eleanor Price file. She was older now, with silver strands in her dark hair, but the eyes matched Victoria’s exactly.
Victoria touched the screen.
“Eleanor.”
“I told you I was sorry,” her sister said through the connection. “I intend to spend the rest of my life proving it.”
Cole’s two contractors lowered their weapons.
Cole looked at them.
“Do not be foolish.”
“We were not paid to fight federal agents,” one replied.
Cole aimed at David again.
“This archive contains names that will collapse governments, banks and military commands.”
“Then they should collapse,” Sarah said.
“You have no idea what follows.”
“I know what followed your secrets. My husband vanished. My son was used. My home became a prison.”
Cole moved toward the waterproof case.
David prepared to stop him.
But Victoria stepped forward first.
“You chose me because you thought I would betray them,” she said.
Cole laughed softly.
“You did betray them.”
“Yes.”
She looked toward Sarah.
“I did things I can never excuse.”
Then she faced Cole again.
“But you made the same mistake Marcus made.”
“What mistake?”
“You believed shame would make me obedient.”
Victoria seized the metal table and pushed it toward Cole.
The sudden movement knocked his arm aside.
David closed the distance and disarmed him.
Cole struck the wall and fell.
The contractors raised their hands.
Footsteps thundered above the grave chamber.
Federal agents descended with weapons drawn.
Eleanor appeared behind them.
Victoria stood motionless.
The sisters faced each other for the first time in years.
No one spoke.
May you like
Then Eleanor looked toward David.
“Marcus is ready to talk,” she said. “And he claims your father was alive three months ago.”
