Chapter 9 - Madison’s Choice
Ethan called Madison again.
This time she answered.
“Where are you?”
Silence.
Then Sophie’s voice in the background.
“Daddy?”
Ethan almost collapsed from relief.
“Sophie.”
“I’m okay.”
Madison took the phone.
“Ethan, listen before you start yelling.”
“Where are you?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“You left with Richard Blake.”
“He came to the hotel because someone tried to kill Celeste.”
“I don’t care.”
“You should.”
“Bring Sophie back.”
“I will.”
“Now.”
“Ethan, Richard says Laura’s first daughter is alive.”
Ethan stopped.
Ross watched him.
“You knew?”
Madison asked.
“I found Dad’s file.”
“Then you know Sophie has a sister.”
“I know Sophie has a biological half-sister. I know nothing else.”
“Richard does.”
“Richard also helped Celeste put my daughter on a one-way flight.”
“No.”
Madison’s voice hardened.
“He says Lisbon was never the destination.”
“What does that mean?”
“The tickets were bait.”
“For whom?”
“Vale.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
Richard was spinning another story.
Maybe true.
Maybe not.
“Put Richard on.”
A pause.
Then his former consultant spoke.
“Ethan.”
“If Sophie gets one scratch, I’ll spend every dollar I have making sure you never see daylight again.”
“That’s fair.”
“Where are you?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Then this call is over.”
“Laura’s daughter is named Emily.”
Ethan froze.
Richard continued.
“Emily Bennett. She’s twelve. She’s alive.”
Ethan felt the world tilt.
“Where?”
“Grayhaven moved her through three identities. Laura found the last one.”
“Where is she?”
“That’s what everyone wants.”
“You expect me to believe you’re protecting her?”
“No. I expect you to believe I’m trying to stay alive.”
“Why involve Sophie?”
“Because the file Laura hid cannot be opened without both girls.”
Ethan’s throat tightened.
“What file?”
“The beneficiary archive.”
“Speak English.”
“The original Haven trust holds assets that make your fifty million dollar transaction look like pocket change.”
“How much?”
Richard hesitated.
“Approximately twenty-three billion.”
Even Ross reacted.
Richard continued.
“The money is controlled by biometric conditions attached to descendants of the original custodial families. Sophie inherited Carter access. Emily inherited Bennett access.”
“And Laura?”
“Laura discovered the trusts were financing the network.”
“So she tried to expose it.”
“She tried to destroy it.”
“Did you kill her?”
Silence.
“Richard.”
“No.”
“Did you know she would die?”
A longer silence.
“Yes.”
Ethan’s voice became almost inaudible.
“You knew.”
“I warned her.”
“And then you came into my life.”
“I was supposed to monitor you.”
“And Celeste?”
“Same assignment.”
“Did you send her to marry me?”
“No. Vale did.”
Ethan looked at Ross.
“Who is Vale now?”
Richard answered.
“I don’t know.”
“You said Adrian Vale is a designation.”
“It passes from trustee to trustee. Laura believed the current Vale was somebody close to the Carter family.”
Madison interrupted.
“Ethan, Richard has a location for Emily.”
“Then send it to federal investigators.”
“We can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because someone inside Ross’s team is compromised.”
Every person in the room looked at Daniel Ross.
Ross’s expression did not change.
Ethan said, “Proof?”
Richard replied, “Ask Ross who authorized the Arizona transfer of the accident reconstruction officer from Laura’s case.”
Ross’s face changed.
A tiny movement.
Enough.
Ethan looked at him.
“Who?”
Ross said nothing.
“Daniel.”
Ross exhaled.
“I did.”
Brooks stared.
“What?”
Ross held up a hand.
“The officer contacted federal authorities three weeks after Laura’s crash. He believed evidence had been altered.”
“Why wasn’t I told?”
“Because we opened a sealed investigation.”
Ethan stepped toward him.
“You knew Laura’s death was suspicious?”
“I knew someone alleged evidence tampering.”
“For three years?”
“We could not substantiate it.”
“Where is that officer?”
Ross looked at him.
“That’s the problem.”
“He disappeared.”
“Yes.”
Richard’s voice came through the phone.
“He didn’t disappear.”
Ethan looked at the screen.
“Where is he?”
“Richard?”
No answer.
Then gunshots erupted through Madison’s side of the call.
May you like
Sophie screamed.
The call went dead.
