Chapter 10 - The Man Evan Buried)
Evan did not go alone.
He simply made it appear that way.
The coordinates led to an abandoned marina ninety miles north of the city.
Ruiz kept surveillance teams more than a mile away.
Claire stayed with Sophie.
Lauren insisted on joining the secondary team.
At 3:18 in the afternoon, Evan parked beside the lake.
The marina had closed years earlier.
Wooden docks stretched over dark water.
Empty boat sheds leaned beneath weathered roofs.
Evan walked toward the final pier.
A man stood at the end.
Gray hair.
Brown jacket.
Hands in his pockets.
Evan stopped.
Nine years disappeared.
His father turned.
Thomas Carter looked older than the photograph.
But his eyes were the same.
Blue.
Like Evan's.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Thomas said, "You look like your mother."
Evan punched him.
Thomas fell against the railing.
Evan's fist hurt.
He did not care.
"Nine years."
Thomas wiped blood from his lip.
"I know."
"Nine years."
"I know."
"You watched us."
"Yes."
"You watched Mom die."
Thomas closed his eyes.
"Yes."
Evan hit him again.
This time Thomas did not fall.
"You watched me bury you."
"I had no choice."
"Everyone says that when they want forgiveness."
"I'm not asking for forgiveness."
"Good."
Thomas looked at the lake.
"Because I don't deserve it."
Evan stepped back.
"What is Whitmore?"
"A machine."
"What does that mean?"
"Money enters through legitimate contracts. Public funds. Private investments. Foundations. Development projects."
"I know that part."
"It leaves clean."
"Who built it?"
Thomas looked at him.
"I helped."
"With Julian."
"Before Julian."
Evan frowned.
"Claire thinks Julian inherited the system."
"She's right."
"From whom?"
Thomas hesitated.
"Evelyn Shaw."
Evan remembered the name.
"Who is she?"
Thomas smiled without humor.
"The woman who taught Julian Cross everything he knows."
"Where is she?"
"I don't know."
"Why did your letter say Lauren knows her by another name?"
"Because Evelyn Shaw was once called Evelyn Cross."
Evan understood slowly.
"Julian's mother."
Thomas nodded.
"And Lauren's grandmother."
The family connections seemed endless.
"Why involve Mom?"
"Margaret accidentally learned Julian was laundering money through a charitable foundation."
"When?"
"Before you were born."
"She ran."
"Yes."
"You helped her."
"I loved her."
"Then years later you joined the same people she escaped?"
Thomas looked ashamed.
"I thought I could destroy them from inside."
"Instead you helped build their empire."
"Yes."
Evan stared at the water.
"Did they kill Mom?"
Thomas was silent.
"Answer me."
"I don't know."
"That's not good enough."
"I found evidence someone interfered with her medical records."
"Who?"
"Gregory Shaw."
"The police captain?"
"He wasn't police then. He worked private security for Evelyn."
"Is he related to her?"
"Her nephew."
Evan shook his head.
"Everyone is related."
"That is how the network survives."
"Family?"
"Blood. Marriage. Debt. Secrets."
Thomas stepped closer.
"That is why you need to take Claire and Sophie and disappear."
Evan laughed.
"Like you did?"
"Yes."
"No."
"They won't stop."
"Then we stop them."
"You don't understand."
"Then explain it."
Thomas looked at him.
"Julian Cross is not trying to kill Claire."
Evan stared.
"Someone shot at her."
"Julian needs her alive."
"Why?"
"Because the ledger she copied is incomplete."
Claire had never mentioned that.
"What is missing?"
"The origin accounts."
"Where are they?"
Thomas looked toward the marina building.
"I have them."
Evan felt the first shift in the conversation.
"Why contact me?"
"Because Robert Whitmore is trying to seize control from Julian."
"Dana said Julian doesn't know you're alive."
"He doesn't."
"So Robert does."
"Yes."
"Why hasn't Robert killed you?"
"Because he needs my files."
Evan heard a faint sound in his earpiece.
Ruiz.
Movement north side.
Thomas noticed Evan's reaction.
"You brought them."
"Of course."
"You shouldn't have."
A gunshot cracked across the lake.
Thomas jerked.
Blood appeared on his shoulder.
Evan pulled him down.
"Ruiz."
More gunfire.
A black speedboat appeared from behind the boat sheds.
Two armed men fired toward the dock.
Federal agents returned fire from the tree line.
Evan dragged Thomas behind a wooden piling.
"Can you move?"
"Yes."
"Where are the files?"
Thomas pointed toward the marina office.
"Floor safe."
"Combination?"
"Margaret's birthday."
Another bullet shattered wood above them.
Ruiz shouted through the earpiece.
"Stay down."
Thomas grabbed Evan's shirt.
"Listen to me."
"No."
"Evan."
"We are leaving together."
"If I don't."
"You will."
"Listen."
Evan looked at him.
Thomas's face had turned pale.
"Robert is not the one you should fear."
"Julian?"
Thomas shook his head.
"Evelyn."
"You said you don't know where she is."
"I don't."
"Then why fear her?"
Thomas swallowed.
"Because she knows Sophie exists."
Evan froze.
"What does that mean?"
"She considers bloodline property."
"What bloodline? Sophie isn't related to her."
Thomas stared at Evan.
Then Evan understood.
Lauren.
Julian.
Evelyn.
But Sophie was Evan's daughter.
No connection.
Unless something else was wrong.
Thomas whispered, "There is one thing your mother never told you."
Evan stared.
May you like
Thomas continued.
"Margaret was not your biological mother."
