Chapter 11 - RICHARD’S FINAL VIDEO
We returned to police headquarters before dawn.
Vanessa sat in an interrogation room with federal agents.
Victor sat two floors below her.
Peter Sloan was reunited with his daughter.
Daniel sat beside me in a conference room, silent.
Chief Reed stood across from us.
Tom leaned against the wall.
Nobody trusted anybody anymore.
I inserted Richard’s memory card.
The locked video remained on screen.
PASSWORD REQUIRED.
Tom tried dates.
Daniel tried family names.
Nothing.
Then I remembered Richard’s Saint Michael medal.
The back had an inscription.
NO GREATER LOVE.
Daniel whispered, “John fifteen thirteen.”
I typed 1513.
The file opened.
Richard Vale appeared.
“If you’re seeing this, then I failed.”
Daniel’s eyes filled.
He had never heard his father’s voice since the funeral.
Richard continued.
“Arthur Voss built the financial network. Victor Lang enforced it. But neither man controls the protection that keeps it alive.”
Chief Reed stared at the screen.
My pulse rose.
Richard leaned forward.
“The person protecting them is Deputy Commissioner Samuel Hale.”
Tom exhaled.
Chief Reed closed his eyes.
But Richard kept talking.
“Hale owns judges, officers, and prosecutors. If he learns I made this recording, I will be killed.”
Daniel whispered, “My God.”
Then Richard said something none of us expected.
“Marcus Reed tried to warn me.”
I looked at the Chief.
Richard continued.
“He is not the traitor. If he survives, trust him.”
Reed turned away.
Years of guilt seemed to hit him all at once.
Tom looked ashamed.
“I blamed you.”
Reed nodded.
“I blamed myself.”
The video continued.
“My son Daniel knows nothing.”
Daniel covered his mouth.
“Elena Cross knows nothing.”
My heart stopped.
Richard had known my name before we ever met.
“If Elena survives the ambush, the ledger will be safest with her because Hale believes she is only a junior investigator.”
I touched the scar beneath my dress.
Richard had chosen me because no one thought I mattered.
Then he said:
“Hale’s greatest weakness is vanity. He believes nobody can touch him.”
The screen went black.
Chief Reed immediately grabbed his phone.
“We arrest Hale now.”
Tom shook his head.
“You won’t find him.”
“Why?”
“Because he’ll know Victor was taken.”
Reed started issuing orders.
Then the conference room door opened.
An officer rushed inside.
“Chief.”
“What?”
“Deputy Commissioner Hale is downstairs.”
Everyone froze.
“He came voluntarily?”
The officer looked confused.
“He says he wants to speak with Elena.”
I stood.
Tom grabbed my arm.
“No.”
I looked at him.
“He came here for a reason.”
“Yes,” Tom said.
“To finish what he started.”
The officer swallowed.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
“Hale brought a woman with him.”
“Who?”
The officer looked at Daniel.
May you like
“Your mother.”
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