Chapter 12 - ELEANOR'S VERSION OF THE TRUTH
Eleanor demanded Julian come alone.
He did not.
Bishop placed a tracker beneath his coat.
Marcus followed at a distance.
The location was an abandoned Hayes Community Housing building on the south side.
One of the very properties connected to Daniel Voss's original investigation.
Julian entered through a broken lobby.
His mother waited on the second floor.
Clara was not there.
"You lied."
Eleanor stood beside a boarded window.
"I needed you to listen."
"Where is my wife?"
"Not with me."
Julian stared.
"You said you had her."
"I said she was safe."
"Where?"
"I don't know."
Julian stepped closer.
"Then you've made a serious mistake."
Eleanor didn't flinch.
"You think I'm your enemy because I was cruel to Clara."
"You were cruel to Clara."
"Yes."
Julian was surprised.
No excuse.
No denial.
Eleanor continued.
"I believed she came into our family to finish what Charles started."
"What did he start?"
"Destroying us."
Julian laughed.
"Dad tried to stop theft."
"No."
Her eyes hardened.
"Your father built Haven."
Silence.
Julian remembered the ledger.
THE MONEY IS NOT THE PURPOSE.
"What is Haven?"
Eleanor looked almost frightened to say it.
"A contingency."
"For what?"
"For the collapse of Hayes International."
"That makes no sense."
"It will."
She stepped closer.
"Charles believed your company was going to be used for something enormous."
"By whom?"
"He never knew."
"What kind of thing?"
"Money laundering. Government contracts. Political payments. He stopped talking to me near the end."
"Why?"
"Because he suspected me."
Julian stared.
"Did he have reason?"
Her face changed.
"I signed documents."
"Knowing what they were?"
"No."
"That's convenient."
"I trusted Lawrence."
Julian's eyes narrowed.
"You signed what Lawrence put in front of you."
"Yes."
"How much?"
"I don't know."
"Millions?"
"Probably."
Julian fought disgust.
"And Clara?"
"Charles trusted her."
"Why?"
"Because Voss chose her."
"Voss was working for Dad."
"At first."
Julian frowned.
"At first?"
Eleanor's voice lowered.
"Daniel Voss stopped taking Charles's orders."
"Why?"
"He discovered Haven."
"And?"
"And Charles became terrified."
"Of what?"
Eleanor looked toward the staircase.
"Not what."
A sound came from below.
A door closing.
Julian turned.
When he looked back, his mother's face was pale.
She whispered, "Who."
A gunshot exploded downstairs.
Julian shoved Eleanor behind a concrete pillar.
Another shot.
Bishop's voice shouted from outside.
Police moved.
Footsteps rushed through the building.
Then silence.
Marcus appeared five minutes later.
His expression was dark.
"We found the shooter."
"Who?"
"Nobody we recognize."
"Alive?"
"No."
Eleanor grabbed Julian's arm.
"Check his left wrist."
Marcus stared.
"Why?"
"Check it."
They did.
A small tattoo was visible beneath the dead man's sleeve.
A square containing the letter H.
Eleanor closed her eyes.
Julian looked at her.
"Haven?"
She whispered, "Your father didn't create Haven."
Julian's body went still.
"Then who did?"
May you like
Eleanor opened her eyes.
"We never found out."
