Chapter 12 - THE PRICE OF THE TRUTH
Leah stood behind the broken window.
Edmund remained outside the gates.
His voice came through her phone.
Calm.
Patient.
Almost kind.
“Bring me Thomas’s files.”
Leah stared at him.
“And then?”
“You get answers.”
“My father gets justice?”
Edmund laughed.
“Justice is a word people use when they lack power.”
Leah’s jaw tightened.
“You sound like Mercer.”
Mercer glanced toward her.
“Please don’t compare us.”
Edmund continued.
“Bring me the evidence.”
“Alone.”
Alexander stepped closer.
“No.”
Edmund heard him.
“Alexander.”
Alexander took the phone.
“Uncle.”
“Still dramatic.”
“You attacked my home.”
“I knocked on the door.”
“You kidnapped a child.”
“No.”
Edmund looked toward Vale.
“That was Michael.”
Everyone turned toward Michael Reeves.
He stood beside Edmund.
Vale’s face twisted.
“I’ll kill you.”
Michael smiled faintly.
Edmund continued.
“Daniel took the girl from Michael’s men.”
“He actually saved her.”
Mercer nodded once.
Alexander looked toward Michael.
“You sat beside me while my mother was missing.”
Michael shrugged.
“That was useful.”
“You’ve worked for me for fourteen years.”
“For Edmund.”
Alexander looked genuinely wounded.
“You were at my father’s funeral.”
“Yes.”
“You stood beside my mother.”
“Yes.”
“You held my son when he was born.”
Michael’s expression flickered.
Leah noticed.
Alexander stepped closer to the broken glass.
“You knew my family.”
Michael looked away.
Edmund sighed.
“Sentiment again.”
He looked at Leah.
“Ten minutes.”
“Then?”
“Then North House burns.”
The call ended.
Eleanor immediately moved toward a table.
“He’ll do it.”
Alexander stared outside.
“We evacuate.”
Mercer shook his head.
“The gates are blocked.”
“Rear exit?”
“Probably covered.”
Vanessa looked toward the cellar.
“Historical tunnel?”
Everyone looked at Mrs. Bellgrave.
She smiled faintly.
“Finally, someone appreciates old houses.”
Eleanor nodded.
“There’s a tunnel under the north pantry.”
Alexander turned toward Leah.
“We get everyone out.”
Leah shook her head.
“No.”
He stared.
“We are not negotiating.”
“I’m not.”
“Then what?”
Leah looked toward the folders.
“We give him what he wants.”
Eleanor immediately said,
“No.”
Leah looked at her mother.
“Why?”
“Because Thomas died protecting those files.”
“And if we die beside them, what did he accomplish?”
Eleanor froze.
Leah continued.
“We copy everything.”
Mercer shook his head.
“Already done.”
Everyone looked at him.
Mercer pointed toward the laptop.
“Three encrypted servers.”
“Switzerland.”
“Singapore.”
“New York.”
Vanessa stared.
“You had backups this entire time?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you say that earlier?”
“No one asked.”
Vanessa looked offended.
Leah almost laughed.
Alexander understood.
“So the physical files are worthless.”
Mercer shook his head.
“Not entirely.”
“Why?”
“Thomas marked originals.”
Leah looked down.
Her father had handwritten notes beside certain transactions.
Those notes could prove authenticity.
Alexander said,
“We photograph them.”
Mercer nodded.
“Done.”
Leah looked toward Eleanor.
“Then we give Edmund the originals.”
Eleanor hesitated.
“He’ll know something is wrong.”
Leah looked toward Alexander.
“Only if we act scared.”
Vanessa smiled.
“I can do arrogant.”
Mrs. Bellgrave muttered.
“No preparation required.”
Vanessa ignored her.
Alexander looked toward Leah.
“What are you planning?”
Leah stared outside.
“Edmund wants control.”
“So we make him believe he has it.”
Eight minutes later, Leah walked through the front doors carrying a black folder.
Alexander stayed inside.
Security remained hidden.
Edmund stood beyond the gate.
Michael beside him.
Leah stopped twenty feet away.
Edmund smiled.
“You look like your mother.”
“I’ve heard.”
“And your father.”
“I’ve heard that too.”
“Thomas was stubborn.”
“So am I.”
“Yes.”
Edmund looked pleased.
“That is why he died.”
Leah’s breath caught.
“You were there.”
“Yes.”
“After the crash.”
“Yes.”
Leah’s hands tightened around the folder.
“What happened?”
Edmund looked toward it.
“First.”
Leah tossed the folder through the gate.
Michael picked it up.
Edmund opened it.
He flipped through several pages.
Then smiled.
“Good girl.”
Leah’s face hardened.
“Talk.”
Edmund closed the folder.
“Your father survived the crash.”
Leah stopped breathing.
“He crawled out of the car.”
“He was injured.”
“But conscious.”
Eleanor appeared behind the doorway.
Tears filled her eyes.
Edmund continued.
“Michael found him first.”
Leah looked toward Michael.
He stared at the ground.
“You killed him?”
Michael said nothing.
Edmund answered.
“No.”
“Thomas was still alive when I arrived.”
Leah’s voice shook.
“What did you do?”
Edmund smiled.
“I offered him the same deal I offered you.”
“Walk away?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“He laughed.”
Leah’s eyes filled.
That sounded like her father.
Edmund continued.
“He told me I had spent my entire life stealing things because no one had ever chosen me.”
Alexander heard that from inside.
Edmund looked toward the house.
“Your father always did enjoy psychological warfare.”
Leah whispered.
“What happened next?”
Edmund’s smile faded.
“Thomas told me Eleanor had already copied everything.”
“I knew he was lying.”
Leah looked toward her mother.
Eleanor was crying.
Edmund continued.
“So I left him there.”
Leah frowned.
“You left?”
“Yes.”
“Then who killed him?”
Edmund looked toward Michael.
Michael went pale.
Leah’s stomach turned.
“Michael.”
He shook his head.
“No.”
Edmund laughed quietly.
“You’ve lied for fourteen years.”
“Why stop now?”
Michael looked at Alexander.
“Sir—”
Alexander stepped outside.
“Don’t call me that.”
Michael’s voice cracked.
“I didn’t mean to.”
Leah stared at him.
“What did you do?”
Michael closed his eyes.
“I moved Thomas.”
“Where?”
“To the warehouse.”
Leah felt sick.
“The same warehouse.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Edmund told me to make it look like the crash killed him.”
Leah’s eyes filled with fury.
“And?”
Michael whispered.
“He was bleeding.”
“He couldn’t stand.”
“He kept asking me to call you.”
Eleanor covered her mouth.
Leah’s knees weakened.
Michael continued.
“I was twenty-six.”
“That’s your excuse?”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“There is no excuse.”
Leah’s voice broke.
“What did you do?”
Michael’s eyes filled.
“I left him there.”
Leah stared.
“You left him?”
“Yes.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
Eleanor whispered.
“Oh, Thomas.”
Leah’s entire body shook.
“So my father died alone.”
Michael began crying.
“Yes.”
Edmund looked almost bored.
“He made his choice.”
Leah looked at him.
“No.”
She wiped her eyes.
“He made yours.”
Edmund frowned.
“What?”
Leah took a breath.
“You came here because you thought the files were the only evidence.”
Edmund’s expression changed slightly.
Leah smiled.
“They aren’t.”
Mercer stepped into view holding a tablet.
Three upload confirmations appeared on the screen.
Vanessa emerged beside him.
Eleanor followed.
Vale.
Mrs. Bellgrave.
Alexander.
All of them.
Edmund stared.
Leah continued.
“Everything went to federal investigators fifteen minutes ago.”
Michael’s face collapsed.
Edmund’s did not.
He simply smiled.
“You think I didn’t prepare for that?”
Then every phone in the house buzzed at once.
Alexander looked down.
His face changed.
Mercer checked his screen.
“Oh, no.”
Leah looked at him.
“What?”
Mercer turned the phone around.
Breaking news.
BELLGRAVE INTERNATIONAL CEO ALEXANDER BELLGRAVE UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR MASSIVE CHARITY FRAUD.
Another alert appeared.
FEDERAL WARRANT ISSUED FOR ALEXANDER BELLGRAVE.
Edmund looked toward his nephew.
And smiled.
“I told you.”
May you like
“You were never the target.”
“The Bellgrave name was.”
