Chapter 7 - THE MAN BEHIND THE RAILING
Owen enhanced the security footage.
Frame by frame.
Pixel by pixel.
The man behind the railing became clearer.
Daniel felt sick.
Vanessa had told the truth.
Charles Whitmore had been standing twenty feet above Claire when she fell.
His supposedly dead father had watched everything.
Marcus immediately issued alerts to federal agencies.
Then Daniel received another surprise.
The FBI already knew Charles might be alive.
Special Agent Rachel Sloan arrived that afternoon.
She placed a thick folder on the table.
“Your father has been under investigation for seven years.”
Daniel stared at her.
“For what?”
“Money laundering.”
Fraud.
Bribery.
International racketeering.
Daniel looked through photographs of his father meeting businessmen overseas.
“You knew he survived the crash?”
“We suspected it.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Because we believed someone inside your family was helping him.”
Daniel looked toward Claire.
“Ethan?”
Rachel shook her head.
“Your mother.”
The room became silent.
Daniel remembered Eleanor’s warning.
Stop digging.
Rachel explained that Charles had hidden nearly sixty million dollars before disappearing.
Investigators believed Eleanor had helped maintain parts of his network.
But recently, Charles had returned to Chicago.
“Why?”
Rachel looked at Claire.
“Because Mrs. Whitmore found something.”
Claire frowned.
“The foundation theft?”
“No.”
Rachel opened another file.
Inside was an old corporate document.
Daniel recognized his father’s signature.
Rachel pointed toward another name.
Ethan Whitmore.
Daniel stared.
“The document says Ethan owns Red Harbor Logistics.”
“He does.”
“That’s impossible.”
“It was transferred to him when he turned eighteen.”
Daniel felt confused.
“Why?”
Rachel closed the folder.
“We believe Charles used Ethan’s identity for years.”
That meant every illegal transaction tied to Red Harbor could eventually lead investigators to Ethan.
Daniel finally understood.
His father had built an escape route.
And his youngest son was the fall guy.
“That’s why Ethan ran.”
Rachel nodded.
“He discovered what his father had done.”
Daniel stood.
“Then Charles has him.”
“We believe so.”
“Where?”
“We don’t know.”
Claire suddenly spoke.
“I might.”
Everyone turned.
She explained that the stolen foundation money had moved through six accounts.
The final transaction contained a routing code.
She had dismissed it before.
Now she remembered where she had seen it.
Whitmore Shipping Terminal Four.
An abandoned freight facility outside the city.
Daniel was already moving toward the door.
Rachel stopped him.
“You’re not going.”
“That’s my brother.”
“And your father may be armed.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Then move faster.”
Three hours later, FBI vehicles surrounded Terminal Four.
Agents entered.
The warehouse was empty.
Except for one chair.
Rope lay around it.
Blood stained the concrete.
Daniel found Ethan’s watch beside the chair.
Then a television turned on.
Charles appeared on the screen.
Older.
Thinner.
But unmistakably alive.
“Hello, Daniel.”
Daniel stared.
His father smiled.
“If you’re watching this, Claire was smarter than I expected.”
Daniel stepped toward the screen.
Charles continued.
“I have Ethan.”
A photograph appeared.
Ethan was tied to a chair.
His face was bruised.
“But I don’t want him.”
May you like
Charles smiled.
“I want you.”
