Chapter 3 - The Account That Shouldn’t Exist
Ethan answered.
“Where are you?”
Marcus sounded breathless.
“Office. Why?”
Ethan stared at Daniel’s photograph.
“Stay there.”
He ended the call.
Valerie stepped closer.
“What does it mean?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“You think Daniel survived?”
“The photograph says he did.”
Her knees weakened.
Ethan caught her.
For a second, Valerie was against his chest.
She pulled away quickly.
“My husband is alive?”
“I said the photograph—”
“Don’t talk to me like I’m stupid.”
“I’m trying not to give you hope before I know.”
“You think hope is the dangerous part?”
Ethan had no answer.
They went to Cain headquarters.
Marcus was waiting.
Ethan dropped the photograph onto his desk.
Marcus stared at it.
Color disappeared from his face.
“Where did you get this?”
“You tell me.”
“I’ve never seen it.”
“Who was driving?”
Marcus looked toward Valerie.
“Ethan, privately.”
“She stays.”
Marcus exhaled.
“The official report said Daniel drove alone.”
“And unofficially?”
Marcus hesitated.
“We found traffic footage. Another man was in the car.”
“Who?”
“I never identified him.”
“Why wasn’t I told?”
“Because your father ordered the investigation closed.”
Ethan froze.
“My father was dead by then.”
Marcus said nothing.
Ethan understood.
The order had been scheduled through an old emergency protocol.
Someone had used his father’s authorization codes years after his death.
Only senior Cain executives could access them.
Account 417 was opened.
Daniel discovered it.
Daniel supposedly died.
And Valerie’s ring carried the same number.
Ethan drove them to a private bank downtown.
The key fit a deposit box.
Inside was no money.
Only a flash drive and a handwritten note.
Valerie recognized Daniel’s writing.
IF VALERIE IS READING THIS, I FAILED.
She covered her mouth.
Ethan inserted the drive into an isolated laptop.
One video appeared.
Daniel filled the screen.
“Val, I’m sorry.”
Valerie began crying silently.
Daniel continued.
“I didn’t steal the money. Someone inside Cain Logistics used my credentials. I found out too late.”
Ethan leaned closer.
“If Ethan Cain is watching, you need to understand something. Your enemy isn’t outside your organization.”
The video glitched.
Daniel looked frightened.
“He sits at your table.”
Another glitch.
“He knows Valerie matters to you.”
Ethan’s blood chilled.
Valerie looked at him.
“How would Daniel know that?”
Ethan couldn’t answer.
The recording continued.
“There’s one person who can prove everything. Her name is—”
The screen went black.
May you like
Then the vault door behind them clicked.
Someone had locked it from the outside.
