Chapter 6 - What Elliot Had Done
Vincent moved in front of Hannah.
Elliot removed his hand from his coat.
He was holding no weapon.
Only an old photograph.
“Before you decide what I am,” Elliot said, “look at this.”
Vincent did not move.
Elliot placed it on a cabinet.
The picture showed Arthur Rowan, Vincent’s father.
Beside him stood Adrian Vale.
And a third man.
Vincent recognized him after several seconds.
David Mercer.
Daniel’s father.
The initials.
D.M.
Vincent picked up the photograph.
“Daniel’s father died when Daniel was twelve.”
“No,” Elliot said. “He disappeared.”
Vincent stared at him.
“Daniel believes he died.”
“Daniel was told what everyone else was told.”
Hannah looked at the ledger.
“These payments went to David Mercer?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because David built the surveillance network Adrian later used.”
Vincent’s anger sharpened.
“You approved the payments.”
“I inherited the problem from your father.”
“You lied to me.”
“Yes.”
“You watched Hannah.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Sophie was mine.”
“Yes.”
“Give me one reason not to destroy you.”
Elliot looked tired.
“Because I spent seven years making sure nobody else confirmed what I already knew.”
Vincent said nothing.
Elliot continued.
“I ordered surveillance around Hannah because Adrian was searching for Arthur Rowan’s heir.”
“You mean my heir.”
“Yes.”
“You could have told me.”
“And what would you have done?”
Vincent stared.
“You would have brought them here immediately,” Elliot said. “Put guards around them. Changed school routes. Bought armored cars. Made Sophie impossible not to notice.”
Vincent hated that Elliot was right.
Hannah stepped forward.
“You let me believe danger followed us because of Vincent.”
“It did.”
“You could have helped us.”
“I did.”
“From the shadows.”
“That was the only safe place.”
Hannah’s eyes filled.
“My daughter changed schools four times.”
Elliot looked at her.
“I know.”
“She slept in motel rooms.”
“I know.”
“She asked me why we never stayed anywhere.”
“I know.”
“Then don’t stand there pretending you protected her perfectly.”
Elliot lowered his eyes.
“I didn’t.”
That was the first thing he said that sounded entirely truthful.
Vincent reopened the ledger.
“Where is Adrian’s direct connection?”
“Last page.”
There was none.
It had been torn out.
Vincent looked up.
Elliot’s face changed.
“I didn’t remove it.”
Footsteps sounded above them.
Daniel’s voice called down.
“Vincent?”
Elliot unlocked the basement.
Daniel entered holding his phone.
“We have a problem.”
Vincent gave him a flat look.
“That phrase is becoming repetitive.”
“Nathan contacted me.”
Everyone went still.
“Where?”
“He wants immunity.”
Vincent laughed.
“From me?”
“From federal prosecutors.”
“Why?”
“Because Adrian ordered Marcus Rowan’s death.”
Silence.
Vincent’s eyes became empty.
Daniel continued carefully.
“Nathan says David Mercer was driving the second vehicle that night.”
His own father.
Daniel looked sick.
“He says my father helped Adrian stage the bombing.”
Vincent walked away.
Hannah followed.
“Vincent.”
He braced both hands against the wall.
For eight years, he had believed Marcus died because of enemies from their early security business.
He had blamed himself.
Now the truth was uglier.
Marcus had been killed because he knew too much.
Daniel said, “Nathan has recordings.”
“Get him here.”
“He won’t come near Rowan Tower.”
“Where?”
“Union Station. One hour.”
Vincent turned.
“I’m going.”
“So am I.”
“No.”
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“My father may have murdered your brother. My brother helped kidnap your daughter. I’m going.”
Vincent considered.
“Fine.”
Hannah stepped forward.
“I’ll stay with Sophie.”
Vincent nodded.
He reached the doorway.
Hannah touched his arm.
He turned.
“Come back.”
The words carried eight years inside them.
Vincent looked at her.
“I will.”
At Union Station, Nathan Mercer sat alone beneath the great hall clock.
He looked like Daniel, but harder.
More exhausted.
Vincent approached with Daniel beside him.
Nathan stood.
“Vincent Rowan.”
“Nathan.”
Daniel said nothing.
Nathan looked at his brother.
“You look old.”
Daniel replied, “You look wanted.”
Nathan almost smiled.
He handed Vincent a drive.
“This ends Adrian.”
Vincent took it.
“What do you want?”
“Protection.”
“From whom?”
Nathan looked toward the crowd.
“My father.”
Daniel froze.
“You said Dad disappeared.”
“He did.”
“He’s alive?”
Nathan nodded.
“And he works for Adrian.”
Daniel looked as though someone had struck him.
Nathan continued.
“Marcus discovered them eight years ago. Adrian ordered the hit. Dad executed it.”
Vincent’s voice became dangerously soft.
“Where is David Mercer?”
Nathan’s eyes shifted.
“Chicago.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“You expect protection without giving me the one thing I want?”
“I gave you something better.”
“What?”
“Proof Adrian is trying to take Rowan Global so he can erase records of every contract, payment, and death tied to his network.”
Vincent looked at the drive.
“And Sophie?”
Nathan swallowed.
“Adrian never wanted her dead.”
Daniel frowned.
“The messages said—”
“I sent those.”
Vincent moved.
Daniel grabbed him before he reached Nathan.
Nathan raised his hands.
“I needed you to act.”
“You threatened my daughter?”
“I knew Elliot had her protected.”
Vincent’s voice dropped.
“You gambled with a seven-year-old.”
“Yes.”
“That was stupid.”
“Yes.”
“I’m deciding whether stupidity deserves mercy.”
Nathan looked terrified now.
Good.
Then his phone buzzed.
He looked at the screen.
His face drained.
“What?”
Nathan handed it to Vincent.
A live video feed showed the penthouse.
Hannah.
Sophie.
A man standing behind them.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Holding a gun.
Daniel whispered, “Dad.”
David Mercer looked directly into the camera.
Then he spoke.
“Bring me Marcus’s drive.”
Sophie sat beside Hannah, trying not to cry.
David placed the weapon on the table between them.
“You have thirty minutes.”
The feed ended.
Daniel looked at Vincent.
Vincent was already moving.
By the time they reached Rowan Tower, the building was in lockdown.
David had bypassed security with old credentials embedded into the original system.
Vincent entered through the service level.
Daniel went through the roof access.
Nathan stayed with federal agents and began giving testimony.
Vincent reached the penthouse floor.
The hallway was empty.
He approached his own door.
It opened before he touched it.
Hannah stood inside.
Alone.
Vincent grabbed her shoulders.
“Where is Sophie?”
Hannah could barely speak.
“He took her.”
Vincent’s face went white.
“Where?”
“He said Adrian wanted the trust exchange somewhere public.”
Vincent’s phone rang.
Adrian Vale.
Vincent answered.
“Where is my daughter?”
Adrian laughed softly.
“Now you understand leverage.”
“Tell me where.”
“Tomorrow morning. Rowan Global annual shareholder meeting.”
Vincent froze.
Thousands of people would be present.
Press.
Board members.
Federal investigators.
Adrian continued.
“Bring the drive. Sign away your controlling shares. Sophie walks out.”
“And if I don’t?”
A pause.
Then Adrian said, “Ask Hannah what happened to Marcus when he refused.”
The line went dead.
Vincent lowered the phone.
Hannah stared at him.
“What are you going to do?”
Vincent looked toward the skyline.
Then at Marcus’s drive.
Then at the trust document.
His entire empire sat between those two objects.
He picked up both.
“I’m going to lose everything.”
Hannah whispered, “Vincent.”
He turned toward her.
“And then I’m taking my daughter home.”
The next morning, Vincent walked into the shareholder meeting carrying the papers that could end Rowan Global.
May you like
Adrian was waiting onstage.
And Sophie was nowhere in sight.
