Chapter 10 - The Freight Yard
Police reached the freight yard first.
Nathaniel ignored their orders and ran past the barricade.
Emily followed as quickly as her body allowed.
Michael stayed beside her.
“Sophie!”
Nathaniel’s voice echoed between abandoned warehouses.
A small figure appeared behind a shipping container.
“Daddy!”
Nathaniel ran.
Sophie threw herself into his arms.
He dropped to his knees.
For the first time since Emily met him, Nathaniel cried.
Emily stopped several feet away.
She watched her brother hold his daughter.
Something inside her chest hurt.
Not jealousy.
Grief.
Their father should have seen this.
He should have known both his children.
Both his grandchildren.
Instead, Preston had poisoned everything he touched.
Sophie looked over Nathaniel’s shoulder.
Her eyes met Emily’s.
“Who is she?”
Nathaniel wiped his face.
“That’s your aunt Emily.”
Sophie stared.
“I have an aunt?”
Emily smiled.
“Apparently I have a niece.”
Sophie almost smiled back.
Then she remembered something.
“The lady helped me.”
Nathaniel froze.
“What lady?”
“The pretty lady from the hotel.”
Emily looked at Michael.
“Vanessa.”
Sophie nodded.
“She told the man she needed to take me to the bathroom.”
“Then she opened the back door and told me to run.”
“Where is Vanessa?”
Sophie pointed toward Warehouse Four.
Police moved immediately.
They found Vanessa inside.
Alive.
Her hands were tied.
Her face was bruised.
But she was conscious.
When Emily entered, Vanessa laughed weakly.
“Never thought I’d be happy to see you.”
Emily looked at her.
“You saved Sophie.”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“I owed somebody one decent thing.”
Nathaniel stayed outside with his daughter.
Emily crouched near Vanessa.
“Where is Preston?”
“I don’t know.”
“He left hours ago.”
“With whom?”
Vanessa looked afraid.
“Margaret.”
Emily’s jaw tightened.
“His mother.”
“She planned more than he did.”
“How much more?”
Vanessa looked toward Michael.
“Can I get immunity?”
Michael almost laughed.
“You are in no position to negotiate.”
“I know where Arthur’s original medical samples are.”
Emily froze.
“What samples?”
“Blood.”
“Hair.”
“Medication.”
“Bell kept everything.”
“Why?”
“Because Bell knew Margaret would eventually blame him.”
“Where?”
Vanessa swallowed.
“Safe-deposit box.”
“Which bank?”
“First Continental.”
“Box 771.”
Emily stood.
Vanessa caught her wrist.
“There’s something else.”
Emily looked down.
Vanessa’s eyes filled with tears.
“I didn’t know what they were doing to your father at first.”
“But you knew later.”
“Yes.”
“And you stayed.”
Vanessa looked ashamed.
“I loved Preston.”
Emily almost felt sorry for her.
Almost.
“Did he love you?”
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“No.”
“He loved winning.”
Emily removed Vanessa’s hand.
“Then tell me how to beat him.”
Vanessa looked at her.
“Take away his mother.”
Emily frowned.
“Margaret is the real strategist.”
“Preston wanted money.”
“Margaret wanted Harrington.”
“Why?”
“Because she believes your father destroyed her husband.”
Emily stared.
“What?”
“Ask Daniel about Thomas Vale.”
Emily looked at Michael.
Another secret.
Of course.
Back at headquarters, Daniel finally explained.
Thirty years earlier, Thomas Vale had been Arthur Harrington’s business partner.
Thomas stole millions.
Arthur discovered it.
He removed him from the company.
Thomas lost everything.
Five years later, he died.
Margaret blamed Arthur.
Preston had grown up hearing one story.
Arthur Harrington stole our life.
Emily whispered,
“So Preston didn’t meet me by accident.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
Her marriage had been planned.
Every anniversary.
Every promise.
Every kiss.
Every shared dream.
Built on revenge.
Emily felt sick.
“When did my father discover that?”
“Last year.”
“Why didn’t he tell me?”
“Because he knew you loved Preston.”
Emily looked away.
Her father had tried to protect her heart.
Instead, the delay nearly cost them everything.
Michael entered.
“We have the bank box.”
He placed a sealed container on the desk.
Inside were medical samples.
And another flash drive.
Emily inserted it into the computer.
A video opened.
Margaret Vale appeared.
She was sitting across from Dr. Bell.
The date was eight days before Arthur died.
Margaret slid an envelope across the desk.
Bell opened it.
Money.
Then Margaret spoke.
“Arthur needs to remain confused until Preston gets the signatures.”
Bell looked nervous.
“And after?”
Margaret smiled.
“After that, he can die naturally.”
Emily stopped the video.
Nobody spoke.
That was enough.
Conspiracy.
Fraud.
Medical abuse.
Possibly homicide.
Michael immediately called prosecutors.
Emily stared at Margaret’s frozen face on the screen.
Then Daniel’s phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“What?”
Emily stood.
“What happened?”
Daniel slowly lowered the phone.
“Margaret Vale just walked into federal headquarters.”
Emily frowned.
“She surrendered?”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
“She asked for protective custody.”
“From whom?”
May you like
Daniel looked at Emily.
“Preston.”
