Chapter 16 - THE NIGHT THE TOWER WENT DARK|
The lights in Blackwood Tower went out at 11:38 p.m.
Every floor.
Every camera.
Every electronic lock.
The building's emergency generators should have activated within seconds. They didn't.
Someone had disabled the backup system.
I stood in the darkened operations room while Marcus directed the remaining security team through handheld radios.
"All teams, switch to manual procedures. Confirm positions."
Static answered.
Then a voice came through.
"Security breach on the thirty-second floor."
Another voice followed.
"Movement in the executive corridor."
I looked at Jenna.
"Stay here."
She shook her head.
"Evan—"
"Please."
The word stopped her.
It was the first time I had asked her for something without wrapping it in an order.
She touched my face.
"Come back to me."
I wanted to kiss her.
Instead, I pressed my forehead against hers.
"I will."
Then I went into the corridor.
Two guards lay unconscious near the elevator. I checked their pulses and moved toward the stairwell. On the thirty-second floor, I found the archive door open.
The original financial records were gone.
So was the sealed envelope my father had left behind.
A voice came from the far end of the corridor.
"You always were your father's son."
Henry Cole stood beneath the emergency lights, holding a small pistol.
I stared at him.
"Where's Eleanor?"
"Safe, for the moment."
"You kidnapped her?"
"I arranged her relocation."
"That's a generous description."
Henry sighed.
"I spent eleven years cleaning up after your father. Do you have any idea how many people wanted his empire? How many would have torn it apart if they knew what he was doing?"
"He was trying to expose Voss."
"He was trying to destroy a system that kept powerful people in control."
"By stealing from families?"
"By protecting them. At first."
Henry lowered the gun slightly.
"Your father believed he could control the money and the men behind it. He was wrong. Voss wanted everything, and Richard was too frightened to stop him."
"So you gave the order."
Henry's face tightened.
"I told Richard to arrange a meeting. I told him to bring Daniel to the warehouse. I thought Voss would frighten him into cooperating."
"But Voss killed him."
"Yes."
The admission left me cold.
"You let me believe it was an accident."
"I kept you alive."
"You kept me ignorant."
Henry's expression hardened.
"Your father would have made you weak."
I stepped closer.
"My father made me a man. You made me your weapon."
Henry raised the pistol.
Then a shot rang out.
The gun fell from his hand.
Jenna stood at the far end of the corridor, holding a security flare launcher. Her hands were shaking, but she kept her aim steady.
"Drop the weapon," she said.
Henry stared at her in disbelief.
"You have no idea what you're doing."
"Actually, I do."
She moved toward us.
"You thought everyone would keep obeying you because you were the person who explained the rules. But you forgot something."
Henry clutched his injured hand.
"What?"
Jenna's voice became ice.
"People can learn the truth."
Marcus and two guards emerged from the stairwell and restrained him.
I rushed to Jenna.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
She looked at my face.
"Are you?"
"Not anymore."
She let out a shaky breath and collapsed against me.
I held her tightly.
Then Marcus's radio crackled.
"Boss, we found Eleanor."
"Where?"
His voice turned grim.
"At the depot. But she's not alone."
May you like
A pause.
"Ryan Callahan is there, and he has the original ledger."
