Chapter 31 - The Seventh Star
Samuel followed Rachel upstairs.
Eleanor followed Samuel.
Nathan remained below as instructed.
The attic door opened.
Samuel stared at the painted stars.
For a moment something close to triumph entered his face.
“Arthur.”
Eleanor heard the hatred in the name.
Rachel climbed beneath the seventh star.
“Tell me what to do,” Samuel said.
“No.”
He lifted the gun.
Eleanor stepped between them.
“Point that at me.”
Rachel snapped, “Mom.”
Eleanor never looked away from Samuel.
“You came here because of Arthur. Finish what you came for with me.”
Samuel’s hand trembled.
“I never wanted Arthur dead.”
“You left him without help.”
“He was going to destroy me.”
“So you decided his life was worth less than your reputation.”
Samuel’s face twisted.
Rachel knocked three times.
Samuel turned.
Click.
The compartment opened.
Rachel removed the hardware device.
“Give it to me.”
She held it in her palm.
“Say please.”
Even Eleanor almost laughed.
Samuel moved toward her.
That was the moment Nathan appeared at the attic entrance.
Samuel spun.
Nathan stopped.
“Peter was right about you.”
Samuel aimed the gun.
Eleanor shouted.
Rachel dropped.
Nathan moved backward.
Then three things happened.
A red light appeared on the hidden recorder.
The attic door burst open.
And Agent Marlow shouted, “Federal agent! Drop the weapon!”
Samuel grabbed Eleanor.
The gun pressed against her side.
Everyone froze.
Samuel breathed against her ear.
“Tell them to move.”
Eleanor looked at Rachel.
Rachel looked at the seventh star.
And remembered.
Three knocks tell you when.
Not when to open the compartment.
When to transmit.
Rachel struck the beam three more times.
The recorder flashed.
UPLOAD COMPLETE.
Samuel saw it.
His face emptied.
Peter’s voice came through Marlow’s radio downstairs.
“We have it.”
The final audit trail had been transmitted.
Every transaction.
Every authorization.
Every offshore account.
Every payment.
Samuel no longer needed to be persuaded into surrendering evidence.
Arthur had designed the system so the attempt to steal it released it.
Samuel understood.
His grip weakened.
Eleanor drove her heel down onto his foot and twisted away.
Marlow rushed forward.
Samuel’s gun hit the floor.
Two agents pinned him against the wooden beams.
For several seconds nobody spoke.
Then Samuel looked at Eleanor from the floor.
“You think Arthur won.”
Eleanor shook her head.
“No.”
May you like
She took Rachel’s hand.
“We did.”
