Chapter 12 - the man above diane
Margaret immediately ordered the investigators to secure the recording.
The lead investigator did not move.
“General, my unit received a stand-down order thirty seconds ago.”
“From Cole?”
“From the Defense Secretary’s office.”
“Adrian Cole is not the Defense Secretary.”
“He is acting secretary as of this morning. The secretary was hospitalized overnight.”
Margaret looked at Beck.
“Convenient.”
Beck nodded.
The investigator’s radio activated.
A voice instructed all military personnel to withdraw from the Cross estate and surrender any classified Northbridge material.
Margaret removed the battery from the radio.
“No one leaves with this recorder except Olivia.”
The investigator hesitated.
“General, refusing an acting secretary’s direct order could end your career.”
“My career has survived worse men.”
A gunshot sounded outside the estate.
Everyone moved toward the windows.
A black vehicle crashed through the garden gate. Security guards pursued it down the drive.
Noah studied the road.
“That was Diane’s secondary car.”
“Is Ethan with her?” Olivia asked.
Beck checked the internal cameras.
“He’s still inside.”
They found Ethan in the old library, sitting on the floor beside the open Northbridge drawer.
He had removed his service jacket and placed his weapon several feet away.
Margaret entered first.
“Where is Diane?”
“I don’t know.”
“You escaped with her.”
“She left me at the east stairs.”
“Why?”
“Because I refused to take Olivia with us.”
Olivia appeared in the doorway behind Margaret.
Ethan looked at the bruising on her arms and lowered his head.
“I’m sorry.”
Olivia’s expression did not change.
“Sorry is what people say when they break a glass. You broke my trust, my safety, and everything I believed about our marriage.”
“I know.”
“No. You know you lost.”
The words silenced him.
Margaret placed the recorder on the desk.
“Adrian Cole is part of Aster.”
Ethan looked up.
“He’s not part of it.”
“What does that mean?”
“He created it.”
Margaret moved closer.
“How do you know?”
“Diane introduced me to him after our wedding. He said my role was to monitor the Vale family and report any attempt to open the archive.”
“You worked directly for Cole?”
“I sent reports through my mother.”
“Did you report Olivia’s pregnancy?”
Ethan closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Olivia stepped back as if struck by the answer.
Ethan continued quickly.
“I didn’t know why it mattered. Not at first.”
“When did you learn?” Margaret asked.
“Six months ago. Cole told Diane the child would activate the trust.”
“And you stayed.”
“I started collecting evidence.”
“Where is it?”
Ethan removed the silver key Olivia had found in his study.
“This opens a private storage unit at Union Station.”
“What is inside?”
“Every order Diane gave me, transfers connected to the foundation, and the original copy of Cole’s communications.”
Margaret did not take the key.
“Why hide evidence instead of reporting it?”
“Because every officer I contacted disappeared from service records within a week.”
“Names.”
“Lieutenant Harris. Major Chen. Investigator Dawson.”
Beck checked his tablet.
“All three resigned.”
“No,” Ethan said. “Their resignations were forged.”
Margaret finally took the key.
“Why should we trust you?”
“You shouldn’t.”
He looked at Olivia.
“But the storage unit contains a document Diane never knew I found.”
“What document?” Olivia asked.
“Our marriage directive.”
The room became still.
Ethan’s voice broke.
“It was signed two years before we met.”
Olivia stared at him.
“By Diane?”
May you like
Ethan shook his head.
“By Adrian Cole.”
