Chapter 46 - Miriam’s Final Bargain
Miriam had left through the pantry tunnel during Dr. Cole’s arrest.
Security footage showed her carrying the green ring and one of the original document cases.
Rachel called her.
Miriam answered immediately.
“I am correcting what I started.”
“By running?”
“By making Victor believe I still support him.”
“The release needs your authorization.”
“That is why he needs me too.”
Miriam told Rachel to continue the upload but pause it at ninety-nine percent. She would meet Victor at Northline headquarters and obtain the list of false files he had inserted.
Tessa objected.
“He will know it is a trap.”
“He has trusted my ambition for thirty years.”
“Should he?” Rachel asked.
Miriam became silent.
At Northline headquarters, Victor waited inside the restored bank vault. Miriam entered alone while Rachel, Olivia and police listened through the green ring.
Victor offered her control of the Vale trust.
“You were the child they erased,” he said. “Rachel inherited your mother’s property. Olivia inherited your danger. You received nothing.”
“I received survival.”
“You received a borrowed name.”
Victor opened the document case Miriam had carried from Rachel’s house.
It was empty.
His voice changed.
“Where is the source key?”
“With Rachel.”
“Then why are you here?”
“To give you something more valuable.”
Miriam placed a drive on the table.
It contained the incomplete public release and a list of witnesses prepared to testify against Northline.
Victor examined it.
“You expect me to trade the false-record index for this?”
“No. I expect you to destroy it.”
Victor smiled.
Then the listening signal vanished.
Rachel called Miriam.
No answer.
Northline’s security system sealed the bank building.
On Rachel’s wall, the public release jumped from sixty-two percent to ninety-eight.
A new authorization appeared.
MIRIAM ANNE VALE: APPROVED.
Olivia stared at the screen.
“She gave Victor her authorization.”
Rachel watched the percentage rise again.
May you like
Miriam had not entered Northline to deceive Victor.
She had entered to choose him.
