Chapter 9 - THE LEAK
Agent Morris arrived forty minutes later.
Kiora didn't trust her anymore.
Elias didn't either.
Morris could tell.
"You think it's me."
"Shouldn't we?"
She didn't become defensive.
Instead, she handed Elias her phone.
"Check it."
He did.
Nothing.
Morris looked at Kiora.
"Three agents knew your destination."
"Names."
"Mine."
"Deputy Director Cole."
"And Special Agent Marcus Dean."
Elias went still.
Kiora noticed.
"You know Marcus?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"He worked for your father."
Morris frowned.
"Dean?"
"Before joining the Bureau."
Kiora's heart sank.
Another person connected to Arthur.
Another secret.
Morris called headquarters.
Marcus Dean had disappeared.
His government phone was found inside his apartment.
His car was gone.
So was his service weapon.
Kiora stared at Elias.
"He warned Richard."
"Likely."
"But why?"
Elias didn't know.
Then Grace called from inside.
"You need to see this."
Mia had brought down a box.
"My mommy's box."
Inside were photographs.
Birthday cards.
A bracelet.
And one envelope addressed to Arthur Harrington.
It had never been mailed.
Grace opened it.
Her daughter had written it shortly before her death.
Arthur,
Daniel is afraid of Richard.
He says Richard owns him.
He says if he ever leaves, Richard will expose what happened at Lake Mercer.
Kiora looked at Elias.
"Lake Mercer?"
He knew the name.
Arthur had owned property there.
A hunting cabin.
It burned down eight years earlier.
One person died.
The official ruling called it an accident.
Kiora whispered.
"Who died?"
Elias answered.
"Richard Harrow's business partner."
The pieces began connecting.
Daniel.
Richard.
A suspicious death.
Blackmail.
Arthur's investigation.
Kiora's inheritance.
The courthouse attack.
Nothing was separate.
They drove to Lake Mercer that afternoon.
The cabin was gone.
Only a stone foundation remained.
But Arthur had built a storm shelter underground.
Elias found the entrance beneath overgrown brush.
They descended.
Inside were old boxes.
Most had been damaged by moisture.
One metal case survived.
Kiora opened it.
Financial records.
Photographs.
And a memory card.
Elias inserted it into a portable reader.
Security footage appeared.
Eight years old.
The camera showed the cabin.
Richard arrived.
Then Daniel.
Then Richard's partner.
The three men argued.
There was no audio.
But the confrontation was obvious.
Then Daniel shoved the man.
He fell.
His head struck the stone fireplace.
Kiora covered her mouth.
Daniel froze.
Richard checked the man's pulse.
Then looked toward Daniel.
Instead of calling for help, Richard walked toward the camera.
The footage ended.
Kiora stared at the black screen.
"Oh my God."
Daniel hadn't planned the death.
But Richard had helped hide it.
That was the leverage.
That was how Richard controlled him.
Elias reached for the memory card.
Then a voice came from behind them.
"Put it down."
They turned.
Marcus Dean stood at the bottom of the stairs.
A gun hung at his side.
Kiora froze.
Marcus looked exhausted.
"Give me the card."
Elias stepped in front of Kiora.
"No."
Marcus raised the weapon.
"I'm sorry."
Kiora stared at him.
"You worked for my father."
"I did."
"Then why?"
Marcus's eyes filled with something that looked like shame.
"Because Arthur was wrong about one thing."
"What?"
Marcus swallowed.
"Richard Harrow isn't the person running this."
Kiora felt the room tilt.
"Then who is?"
Marcus looked toward the staircase.
Footsteps sounded above them.
Someone else had arrived.
Marcus whispered.
"The person your father trusted most."
May you like
Elias slowly turned.
And Kiora realized Marcus was looking directly at him.
