Chapter 11 - The Flight They Were Never Supposed to Take)
There had been no Parker family plane.
At least Claire thought there hadn’t.
Sophie corrected her.
The European itinerary included commercial flights from Seattle to London.
But Grant had quietly changed the first segment.
A charter aircraft was scheduled to carry the family from Seattle to Vancouver, where they would connect privately before continuing overseas.
Claire had never approved the change.
Grant had.
“Why?” Claire asked.
“Because Concord wanted fewer security checks.”
Sophie explained that Eleanor Shaw had spent years collecting evidence against the network.
Six days earlier, she died after a sudden stroke.
Before her death, she arranged for Sophie to release documents if certain conditions occurred.
One condition was Grant Parker attempting to move the Reeves trust internationally.
Claire stared at Sophie.
“Did Concord plan to crash the charter?”
“We believe someone did.”
“Who?”
“That’s what my grandmother couldn’t prove.”
“Did Dad know?”
Sophie hesitated.
“He received a warning yesterday morning.”
Claire stopped.
Before the airport.
Before the argument.
Grant had known.
She returned to the federal facility.
Grant was still there.
Claire entered without greeting him.
“You knew the plane might be sabotaged.”
Grant’s face changed.
“Who told you?”
“Sophie Shaw.”
Grant closed his eyes.
“Eleanor.”
“She’s dead.”
Grant looked genuinely affected.
“When?”
“Six days ago.”
He sat down.
Claire remained standing.
“You canceled my ticket.”
“Yes.”
“Why only mine?”
Grant looked at her.
And for the first time since the airport, Claire saw something resembling shame.
“Because they needed you.”
“What about Mom and Evan?”
“They weren’t targets.”
“You were willing to risk them?”
“No.”
“Then explain.”
Grant admitted the truth.
The charter reservation was bait.
He intended to appear to follow Concord’s instructions, then redirect the family before boarding.
But Claire’s argument with him had created an unexpected opportunity.
“If you weren’t on the passenger list, they couldn’t force you through the Zurich verification.”
“So you humiliated me.”
“I needed you angry enough to leave.”
Claire stared at him.
“You could have told me.”
“I didn’t know who was watching.”
“You threw my suitcase onto pavement and called me an ungrateful bitch.”
Grant looked down.
“That part was real anger.”
Claire almost laughed.
At least he admitted it.
“You don’t get credit for accidentally protecting me while abusing me.”
“I know.”
“No. You’re beginning to know.”
Grant nodded.
Claire placed both palms on the table.
“Who planned the sabotage?”
“I don’t know.”
“Who controls Concord?”
“No single person.”
“Give me names.”
Grant hesitated.
Claire straightened.
“Then enjoy prison.”
“Claire.”
She walked toward the door.
“Wait.”
She stopped.
Grant gave her seven names.
Rachel recognized two.
Daniel recognized four.
Sophie recognized all seven.
The seventh name changed everything.
Thomas Vale.
The man Daniel’s letter told Claire to find.
Claire looked at Sophie.
“I thought Thomas opposed Grant.”
“He did.”
“Then why is he part of Concord?”
Sophie’s answer was quiet.
“Because Thomas Vale didn’t infiltrate Concord.”
May you like
She handed Claire another photograph.
“He created it.”
