Chapter 13 - Bradley Finally Learned What His Family Name Was Worth)
Bradley Carter had spent his entire life believing his surname was an inheritance.
That morning, he learned it was evidence.
Federal agents tracked his vehicle toward an abandoned private airfield.
Maddie rode with Lena.
Daniel followed.
Bradley called halfway there.
Maddie answered.
"Where are you?"
His breathing was ragged.
"You need to listen."
"For once, I agree."
"I didn't know."
"About what?"
"Your father."
Maddie's jaw tightened.
"You found Richard's confession."
"I found it years ago."
"And you said nothing."
"I didn't understand."
"You understood enough to hire Harbor Strategic."
"I thought there was money."
"Of course you did."
"Maddie, please."
It was the first time she had ever heard Bradley beg.
"I thought my father had hidden forty million dollars. Jonathan told me you were trying to steal it."
"And you believed him."
"Yes."
"You had me followed."
"Yes."
"You infiltrated my company."
"Yes."
"You used Ethan."
Silence.
"Yes."
Maddie closed her eyes.
"Then you pushed me into the pool."
Bradley started crying.
Real crying.
Not manipulation.
Maybe.
"I was drunk."
"You were cruel long before you were drunk."
"I know."
That surprised her.
Bradley continued.
"Jonathan said if I made you angry enough, you'd activate the debt protections."
"So you knew."
"I knew he wanted the estate transferred."
"You never asked why?"
"I thought he was helping me challenge your ownership afterward."
Maddie almost laughed.
"Your greed made you incredibly easy to use."
"I know."
Again.
No argument.
No insult.
Bradley sounded like a man finally staring at himself without an audience.
"Where is Barbara?"
"With me."
"Where are you going?"
"Jonathan has us."
Maddie looked at Lena.
They were tracing.
Bradley whispered, "He says Edward wants the confession."
"Edward is alive?"
"I don't know."
"Jonathan called him his grandfather."
Bradley went quiet.
Then whispered, "That makes sense."
"What?"
"My father's journals."
"What about them?"
"Edward had a daughter."
"Name?"
"Rebecca."
Lena started searching.
Bradley continued.
"She disappeared after the contamination lawsuits."
Jonathan Vale was Rebecca's son.
Edward's grandson.
But who was Jonathan's father?
Lena found the record.
Rebecca Vale married a man named Thomas Lang.
Maddie froze.
"Lang?"
Lena looked at her.
Thomas Lang.
Victor Lang's older brother.
Jonathan Vale was connected to both families.
Vale and Lang.
The conspiracy was not split into two sides.
It was one family consuming itself for thirty years.
Bradley whispered, "Maddie."
"What?"
"I'm sorry."
She almost ended the call.
Then she heard Barbara scream.
A crash.
Bradley shouted.
The call disconnected.
"We have the location," Lena said.
The convoy accelerated.
The private airfield appeared beyond a line of trees.
One hangar.
One plane.
Two vehicles.
Gunshots had already started when they arrived.
Jonathan dragged Barbara toward the aircraft.
Bradley lay on the ground.
Blood on his shoulder.
Maddie jumped from the SUV.
Daniel shouted at her to stop.
She ignored him.
"Jonathan!"
He turned.
Barbara struggled against him.
Jonathan aimed his pistol.
Maddie stopped.
"You want Richard's confession?"
"She has it."
"No."
Jonathan's expression shifted.
Maddie held up her phone.
"I do."
Barbara stared at her.
Maddie was bluffing.
But Jonathan did not know.
"Send it."
"Release her."
"Send it."
"Release Barbara."
Barbara looked stunned.
After everything she had done, Maddie was still bargaining for her life.
Jonathan laughed.
"Why save her?"
"Because I'm not you."
Something changed in Barbara's face.
Jonathan dragged her toward the plane.
Maddie stepped closer.
"Your grandfather murdered my father."
Jonathan smiled.
"My grandfather did many things."
"So did Richard."
"Richard was weak."
"Richard spent the rest of his life trying to repair what he did."
"And died broke."
"Better than dying empty."
Jonathan's smile disappeared.
Bradley suddenly moved.
He grabbed Jonathan's ankle.
Jonathan fired.
The bullet struck the runway beside Bradley's head.
Barbara screamed.
Agents opened fire.
Jonathan released Barbara and ran toward the hangar.
Maddie pulled Barbara behind a vehicle.
Lena pursued Jonathan.
Daniel followed.
Inside the hangar, another man stepped from the shadows.
Very old.
White hair.
Walking cane.
Jonathan stopped.
"Grandfather."
Edward Vale.
Alive.
He looked past Jonathan toward Maddie.
His eyes settled on her face.
"Northstar Zero."
Maddie felt thirty years of buried history staring back at her.
Edward smiled.
May you like
"You look like your father."
Then Victor Lang stepped out behind him holding a gun.
