Chapter 8 - A Traitor at Crowe Meridian
Charles Barrett did not fire.
“Victor is coming.”
Cole descended slowly.
“You're alive.”
Charles looked at his son.
“Unfortunately.”
Cole punched him.
Charles accepted it.
Then Cole grabbed him and held on.
Harper looked away.
Adrian didn't.
He understood reunions built from anger.
Charles revealed that Victor had controlled the trafficking network and framed Alexander.
Daniel discovered it.
Alexander planned to expose Victor.
Charles had been forced to cooperate after Victor threatened Cole.
“Who killed Alexander?” Adrian asked.
Charles looked ashamed.
“I drove Victor there.”
“Who fired?”
“Victor.”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“And Daniel?”
“He escaped that house.”
Harper stepped forward.
“But he died.”
“Yes.”
“Who killed him?”
Charles looked at Elaine.
Harper followed his gaze.
Elaine whispered, “I did.”
Silence.
Harper stopped breathing.
Elaine broke.
Daniel had reached their car wounded.
Victor's men were following.
Daniel told Elaine that if he were captured, Harper would be used against him.
Then Daniel grabbed the wheel during their escape.
The crash killed him.
Elaine had been driving.
“I blamed myself every day.”
Harper's anger softened into grief.
“You didn't murder him.”
“I drove.”
“He was already dying.”
Elaine cried.
Adrian left mother and daughter together.
Charles followed him.
“Victor has people inside your company.”
“Names.”
“One matters more.”
“Who?”
Charles hesitated.
“Your chief financial officer. Malcolm Shaw.”
Adrian knew Malcolm.
His father's oldest surviving adviser.
The man who taught Adrian how to run Crowe Meridian.
The man who stood beside him at Alexander's funeral.
Adrian called headquarters.
No answer.
Then his phone displayed a security alert.
LOCKDOWN INITIATED.
Forty-two floors sealed.
Hundreds of employees trapped inside.
Malcolm appeared on a live security feed.
He stood in Adrian's office.
“Bring the ledger,” Malcolm said into the camera.
“Or?”
Malcolm smiled.
“Or the building your father created becomes his funeral pyre.”
Behind Malcolm, Graham Voss was tied to a chair.
Still alive.
And beside him stood Victor.
Victor leaned toward the camera.
“Come home, nephew.”
The feed shifted.
Fourteenth floor.
Harper's coworkers were gathered together.
Armed men surrounded them.
May you like
Then Victor looked directly into the camera.
“And bring the girl.”
