Chapter 10 - The Meeting at the Empty Church
Olivia agreed to meet Victor under three conditions.
The meeting would take place in public.
Russell would select the location.
Victor would come without Kendra.
At nine in the morning, the rain had weakened to a gray mist.
Russell chose a small stone church closed for renovation. Security officers cleared the building and monitored every entrance.
Olivia changed into a black sweater and trousers provided by Celia. Her wet wedding dress had been sealed in an evidence bag.
The transformation felt unreal.
Less than twelve hours earlier, she had worn pearls and carried white roses.
Now she stood beside an empty altar waiting for the man who had deceived her.
Victor entered alone.
He still wore the black suit from the wedding, but his tie was gone and his shirt collar was open. He looked as though he had not slept.
Russell searched him.
No weapon.
No phone.
Only the wedding ring in his pocket and Eleanor Hartwell’s letter in his hand.
Victor walked toward Olivia.
Russell remained close enough to intervene.
Victor looked at him.
“I need to speak with her privately.”
“That will not happen.”
Olivia held out her hand.
“The letter.”
Victor did not give it to her.
“I opened it.”
Anger rose through her.
“You had no right.”
“I know.”
“Then give it to me.”
“You need to understand something first.”
“I don’t need anything from you.”
“Yes, you do.”
Russell stepped forward.
Victor raised the letter.
“Kendra was not supposed to know this existed.”
Olivia stopped.
“She saw it in the bridal suite.”
“She knew you had a letter. She didn’t know what it said.”
“And now?”
“Now she does.”
Olivia’s eyes narrowed.
“You showed her?”
“She read part of it over my shoulder.”
“What part?”
Victor looked toward the covered church windows.
“The part about Mara.”
Olivia felt the same chill she had felt in her father’s residence.
“How do you know who Mara is?”
“My father kept files.”
“Thomas said Daniel was investigating the program.”
“He was.”
“My father also said Daniel wanted to own it.”
Victor laughed bitterly.
“Thomas always tells enough truth to hide the rest.”
Olivia looked at Russell.
Russell’s expression remained neutral.
“What does the letter say?” Olivia asked.
Victor held it toward her.
“Read it.”
She took the pages.
Her mother’s handwriting trembled in places.
My dearest Olivia, if you are reading this, then Victor Hayes has already found you.
The sentence seemed to pulse on the page.
Olivia continued.
I wish I could tell you that Victor is innocent of the plans made around him. I cannot. I also cannot tell you that he understands the forces that shaped his life. He has been taught to blame your father, and perhaps me, for every wound he carries.
Olivia glanced at Victor.
He stood several feet away, watching her.
She returned to the letter.
Victor believes his father died because Thomas Hartwell betrayed him. The truth is more complicated. Daniel Hayes was both victim and participant. He wanted to expose the program only after he discovered that the system had been used against his own son.
Olivia’s fingers tightened.
“Used against you?”
Victor nodded once.
“What did they do?”
“They trained me.”
The word echoed through the empty church.
“To do what?”
“To recognize vulnerability.”
Olivia’s throat tightened.
“People like me?”
“People with anger. Isolation. Broken family ties. Hidden assets.”
“You used that training to find me.”
“At first.”
She looked at the next lines.
Victor may approach you as part of a plan he believes is his own. It is not his own. The woman named Kendra Vale will guide him. Her father helped build the program. She believes she inherited his work.
Olivia lowered the page.
“Kendra controlled you.”
Victor’s face hardened.
“She influenced me.”
“She arranged our meeting.”
“Yes.”
“She selected me.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew.”
“Not everything.”
“What didn’t you know?”
“That Voss had observed you since childhood.”
Russell stepped forward.
“How did you learn that?”
Victor looked at him.
“The Voss file.”
“Where is it?”
“Gone.”
“You had it last night.”
“Kendra took it.”
Olivia looked back at the letter.
Her mother’s final paragraph began with a warning.
There is one thing Thomas has never told you because he believes silence protects you. The Voss program did not end after Mara vanished. It continued through the children connected to its earliest trials.
Olivia read the next sentence twice.
Then a third time.
She looked at Victor.
“What does this mean?”
He said nothing.
Olivia continued.
You were not only observed, my darling.
You were tested.
Her knees weakened.
Russell reached toward her, but she stepped away.
The final page was missing.
Olivia looked at Victor.
“Where is the rest?”
“That is all I found.”
“There was another page.”
“The envelope was open when I reached the room.”
“Kendra took it.”
“Probably.”
“What was on it?”
“I don’t know.”
The church door opened.
One of Russell’s officers entered quickly.
“Sir, we have movement outside.”
Russell touched his earpiece.
“How many?”
“Three vehicles.”
Victor turned toward the door.
“They found us.”
Russell looked at him sharply.
“Who?”
May you like
Victor’s answer came as the first window exploded.
“Voss.”
