Chapter 14 - Rachel’s Last Trap
Arthur knocked on the front door.
Three slow knocks.
Rachel looked at Lucas.
“Trust me.”
He stared at her.
Four years ago, he would have said yes instantly.
Now that word carried weight.
But this was Rachel.
The woman who had spent years building the case everyone else tried to bury.
Lucas nodded.
“What do you need?”
Rachel looked at Michael.
“Turn on the house system.”
Michael moved to a laptop.
Lucas frowned.
“What system?”
Rachel smiled.
“Every room is recording.”
Of course.
Lucas almost laughed.
“You've been planning this.”
“For a long time.”
Arthur knocked again.
“Rachel.”
His voice carried through the door.
“We know you're inside.”
Rachel looked at Lucas.
“Hide.”
“No.”
“Lucas.”
“I already lost you once.”
Her expression softened.
“You didn't lose me.”
“Yes.”
He stared into her eyes.
“I did.”
Rachel had no answer.
Lucas continued.
“So whatever happens now, we do it together.”
Michael muttered:
“This is touching, but they're about to break the door.”
Rachel almost smiled.
“Fine.”
She pointed toward the kitchen.
“Stay out of sight until I signal.”
Lucas moved.
Michael disappeared into the back room.
Rachel opened the door.
Arthur stood outside.
Ethan beside him.
Four men behind them.
Arthur smiled.
“You look good for a dead woman.”
Rachel stared.
“You look terrible for a free man.”
Ethan laughed.
“Still funny.”
Rachel stepped aside.
“Come in.”
Arthur frowned.
“That easy?”
“You found me.”
“No point pretending.”
They entered.
Rachel closed the door.
Arthur looked around.
“Where is Michael?”
“Gone.”
“Lucas?”
Rachel paused.
“Back with his daughter.”
Ethan studied her face.
He didn't believe it.
Rachel walked toward the table.
“Why are you here?”
Arthur laughed.
“You know why.”
“The drive?”
“The drive.”
Rachel placed one flash drive on the table.
Ethan's eyes locked onto it.
“Everything?”
“Everything.”
Arthur stepped forward.
Rachel put one hand over it.
“First I want something.”
Arthur smiled.
“You're negotiating?”
“Yes.”
“With what?”
“Your freedom.”
Ethan laughed.
Rachel looked at him.
“You're not as smart as Edward thought.”
His smile vanished.
“Careful.”
Rachel continued.
“Edward chose you because you were useful.”
“He never loved you.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“You knew nothing about him.”
Rachel smiled.
“I knew enough.”
“He kept recordings.”
Ethan froze.
Lucas watched from the kitchen.
Rachel continued.
“Edward recorded every meeting.”
“Every payoff.”
“Every threat.”
Arthur's face changed.
“You're lying.”
“Am I?”
Rachel looked at Ethan.
“Did he ever tell you why he kept you hidden?”
Ethan stared.
“Protection.”
Rachel laughed.
“No.”
“Because he was ashamed.”
Ethan's jaw tightened.
Arthur interrupted.
“Enough.”
Rachel looked at him.
“You want the drive?”
“Yes.”
“Confess.”
Arthur laughed.
“To what?”
“Rachel Bennett's murder.”
Arthur stared.
“You're standing here.”
“Exactly.”
Rachel smiled.
“So confess to trying.”
Arthur looked at Ethan.
Ethan shook his head slightly.
Rachel saw it.
“So Ethan gave the order?”
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
“Nice try.”
Rachel shrugged.
“Caroline already told federal investigators.”
Ethan's face changed.
Arthur turned.
“What?”
Rachel continued.
“She survived too.”
Arthur stared at Ethan.
“You told me she was handled.”
Ethan snapped:
“She was.”
Rachel smiled.
There.
First crack.
Arthur realized what he'd said.
Too late.
Rachel continued.
“Caroline's kidnapping.”
“Rachel's crash.”
“Rebecca Shaw's staged death.”
“Financial crimes.”
“Custody fraud.”
“How many crimes does it take before loyalty stops being worth it, Arthur?”
Arthur stared at Ethan.
Ethan's expression hardened.
“Don't listen.”
Rachel stepped closer.
“Ask him what happens to you when this ends.”
Arthur looked at Ethan.
“Shut up.”
Ethan said.
Rachel smiled.
“There's your answer.”
Arthur suddenly laughed.
“You think I don't know what Ethan is?”
Rachel's eyes sharpened.
Arthur continued.
“I built him.”
Ethan turned.
“What?”
Arthur smiled.
“Your father gave me a spoiled bastard with a trust fund and told me to make him useful.”
Ethan's face changed.
Arthur continued.
“You think Edward chose you?”
“He used you.”
Rachel watched.
Lucas realized what she was doing.
Letting them destroy each other.
Ethan stepped toward Arthur.
“You worked for me.”
Arthur laughed.
“I worked for your father.”
“Then Daniel.”
“Then myself.”
Ethan stared.
Arthur continued.
“You were never in charge.”
Ethan's voice dropped.
“You should stop talking.”
Arthur smiled.
“Why?”
“You'll kill me like Caroline?”
Silence.
Rachel's eyes moved toward the hidden camera.
Got it.
Ethan realized.
His face changed.
He looked around.
“Cameras.”
Rachel smiled.
“Everywhere.”
Ethan lunged for the flash drive.
Lucas stepped from the kitchen.
“Don't.”
Ethan froze.
“Lucas.”
Arthur cursed.
Lucas held his phone.
“Live transmission.”
That was partly a bluff.
But Ethan didn't know.
Lucas continued.
“Federal agents have everything.”
Ethan looked toward the door.
Michael locked it remotely.
Click.
Arthur stared.
“You set us up.”
Rachel smiled.
“You tried to kill me.”
“I learned.”
Ethan grabbed Rachel.
Lucas moved.
“Let her go.”
Ethan held her in front of him.
Arthur backed away.
Lucas stared.
“It's over.”
Ethan laughed.
“No.”
“You still need me.”
“For what?”
“Sophie.”
Lucas's face hardened.
Ethan smiled.
“You think Caroline appearing changes the trust?”
“It doesn't.”
“I remain biological family.”
“And tomorrow morning, I become Sophie's emergency guardian.”
Rachel stared at him.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“The petition is filed.”
Rachel smiled.
“I know.”
Ethan frowned.
Rachel continued.
“Which is why Caroline filed hers first.”
Ethan froze.
“What?”
Rachel smiled wider.
“She filed recognition of maternity.”
“With DNA evidence.”
“And a sworn statement.”
“Your petition became meaningless thirty minutes ago.”
Ethan's face collapsed.
Lucas stared at Rachel.
“You planned that?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“While you were driving here.”
Lucas almost laughed.
Ethan tightened his grip.
Rachel winced.
Lucas's expression changed.
“Let her go.”
Ethan stared at him.
Then Arthur suddenly said:
“She's right.”
Ethan looked at him.
Arthur stepped backward.
“It's over.”
“You don't decide that.”
Arthur laughed.
“No.”
“The FBI does.”
Ethan stared.
Arthur pulled out his phone.
“I sent them everything ten minutes ago.”
Rachel's expression changed.
Even she hadn't expected that.
Ethan whispered:
“You betrayed me.”
Arthur shrugged.
“You were going to blame me anyway.”
Ethan released Rachel and lunged toward Arthur.
Lucas pulled Rachel away.
The front door exploded inward.
Federal agents entered.
“Hands!”
“Down!”
Arthur immediately dropped.
Ethan ran toward the rear hallway.
Michael opened a side door.
Ethan saw him.
Changed direction.
Lucas followed.
“Ethan!”
Ethan reached the garage.
He opened the door.
A car waited.
He jumped inside.
Lucas reached the driveway as the car accelerated.
Federal vehicles pursued.
Rachel ran outside.
Lucas stopped her.
“Let them.”
She stared after Ethan.
“He'll go for Sophie.”
Lucas's blood went cold.
“What?”
Rachel turned.
“He has nothing left.”
“People like Ethan don't run when they lose everything.”
“They destroy the thing they couldn't own.”
Lucas grabbed his phone.
He called Margaret.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
Lucas's face changed.
Rachel whispered:
“Where is Sophie?”
Lucas looked at her.
“With Mom.”
“Where?”
“The federal safe location.”
Michael stepped outside.
“Lucas.”
He held up a tablet.
Security feed.
A black car had just entered the street outside the safe house.
Lucas stared.
Ethan had known where Sophie was.
Again.
Rachel whispered:
“How?”
Lucas looked at the gold button Sophie had given him.
Then he understood.
“The button.”
Rachel frowned.
“What?”
Lucas opened it.
The microSD card remained inside.
But beneath it was something else.
Tiny.
A second tracker.
Rachel's face went white.
“No.”
Lucas stared at it.
“The tracker wasn't in the box.”
“It was with Sophie the entire time.”
Michael looked at the map.
May you like
Ethan's car was less than three minutes from the safe house.
Lucas ran.
