CHAPTER 3 — THE BOX REBECCA LEFT BEHIND
“WHATEVER YOU SEE IN THAT BOX, DON’T TRUST THE FIRST NAME YOU FIND.”
Charles said it as Marcus drove through downtown Chicago at nearly ninety miles per hour.
Evelyn turned toward him.
“What does that mean?”
Charles stared through the rain-covered window.
“It means my father never kept evidence without keeping insurance against the evidence.”
“That doesn’t answer me.”
“No.”
Charles finally looked at her.
“It keeps you alive.”
Marcus took the next corner hard.
The private bank appeared ahead.
Closed.
Dark.
Protected by steel doors and armed overnight security.
Marcus spoke calmly.
“I know the night manager.”
Charles raised an eyebrow.
“Should I ask why?”
“No.”
Thirty seconds later, Marcus was on the phone.
Two minutes later, the side entrance opened.
Evelyn entered first.
The bank manager looked terrified.
“Mr. Hale told me this is a family emergency.”
Charles answered.
“It is.”
They descended underground.
Deposit box 417 waited behind three separate security doors.
Evelyn inserted Rebecca’s key.
It turned.
Inside was a black envelope.
A flash drive.
A photograph.
And an old cassette recorder.
Charles picked up the photograph.
His face changed instantly.
Evelyn saw why.
Richard Cross stood beside Rebecca.
But they weren’t alone.
Behind them stood another man.
Dr. Samuel Hart.
The same doctor who had taken Lily to the hospital tonight.
Evelyn felt sick.
“Samuel knew Richard?”
Charles turned the photograph over.
Rebecca’s handwriting covered the back.
IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME, SAMUEL KNOWS WHERE THE SECOND RECORD IS.
Marcus immediately called Daniel.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Evelyn picked up the recorder.
A label had been attached.
FOR DANIEL.
Her hands shook.
She pressed play.
Static.
Then Rebecca’s voice.
“Daniel, if you’re hearing this, I’m probably dead.”
Evelyn covered her mouth.
Charles closed his eyes.
Rebecca continued.
“And if Evelyn is with you, please don’t blame her. I made her promise.”
Evelyn began crying silently.
“She tried to tell you. I wouldn’t let her.”
Charles looked at Evelyn.
The recording continued.
“The money being stolen from Cross Industries isn’t the real secret.”
A pause.
“The real secret is what the money paid for.”
Marcus stopped breathing.
Rebecca’s voice became quieter.
“People.”
Charles whispered:
“My God.”
“Witnesses. Officials. Employees. Anyone who discovered what Richard built.”
Evelyn stared at the recorder.
Richard.
Not someone inside the company.
Richard himself.
Rebecca continued.
“Daniel, your father was running something beneath Cross Industries. Charles discovered part of it. I discovered more.”
Charles suddenly grabbed the recorder.
“Turn it off.”
Evelyn pulled it away.
“No.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain it.”
Charles’s face was gray.
Before he could speak, Rebecca’s voice continued.
“Charles tried to stop him.”
Evelyn stared.
Charles looked away.
“He was the only Cross who believed me.”
The recording crackled.
“And that is why Richard decided Charles had to die.”
Silence filled the vault.
Evelyn whispered:
“Warehouse Seventeen.”
Charles nodded.
“That fire was meant for me.”
The meaning of Daniel’s message became horrifyingly clear.
Richard had chosen the wrong child.
Or failed to kill the intended one.
Marcus checked his phone.
Still no response from Daniel.
Rebecca continued.
“Richard disappeared after the fire because he knew federal investigators were closing in. A body was planted. Dental records were altered.”
Evelyn felt her knees weaken.
“Richard Cross never died.”
Charles’s voice was almost inaudible.
“No.”
Rebecca’s recording continued.
“He became a ghost.”
The cassette clicked.
Then Rebecca said something that changed everything again.
“But Richard isn’t the person I’m most afraid of.”
Charles snapped his head toward the recorder.
Evelyn froze.
“There is someone else.”
Static swallowed several words.
Then:
“Someone younger.”
“Someone Daniel trusts.”
“A man who knows his children.”
Evelyn’s blood turned cold.
The recording ended.
Marcus immediately picked up the flash drive.
“We need to leave.”
Charles nodded.
“Now.”
They stepped from the vault.
The bank manager was gone.
Marcus stopped.
His hand moved toward his weapon.
The elevator doors opened.
Empty.
Too empty.
Marcus whispered:
“Behind me.”
The lights died.
A gunshot exploded.
Charles shoved Evelyn down.
Glass shattered.
Marcus fired twice toward the muzzle flash.
Someone ran.
“Stay here!”
Marcus disappeared into the corridor.
Charles helped Evelyn up.
“Are you hit?”
“No.”
“Take the drive.”
She grabbed it.
Then a voice came from the darkness.
“Rebecca always trusted the wrong people.”
Charles froze.
He knew that voice.
A man stepped beneath the emergency light.
Dr. Samuel Hart.
Blood stained his shirt.
But he wasn’t injured.
The blood belonged to someone else.
Evelyn stared.
“Where is Lily?”
Samuel smiled faintly.
“Exactly where Richard wants her.”
Charles raised his weapon.
Samuel didn’t move.
“You should ask yourself why I came here unarmed.”
Charles’s eyes narrowed.
Samuel lifted both hands.
“Because I’m not here to kill you.”
“Then why are you here?”
“To keep Richard from winning.”
Evelyn nearly laughed.
“You helped kidnap a baby.”
“I helped make sure she survived being kidnapped.”
Samuel’s expression hardened.
“You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”
Charles stepped closer.
“I know exactly who Richard is.”
“No.”
Samuel looked at him.
“You knew who your father was nine years ago.”
His eyes shifted toward Evelyn.
“But you don’t know what he became.”
A distant gunshot echoed.
Marcus shouted.
Samuel turned toward the exit.
“They found me.”
“Who?”
Samuel looked back.
“Richard’s people.”
Charles aimed at him.
“You’re coming with us.”
Samuel smiled sadly.
“I was never leaving.”
A red dot appeared on his chest.
Evelyn saw it first.
“DOWN!”
The window exploded.
Samuel fell.
Charles dragged Evelyn behind a marble column.
Marcus returned, firing toward the opposite building.
Samuel lay on the floor.
Blood spread beneath him.
Evelyn crawled toward him.
“Samuel!”
His eyes found hers.
“Lily…”
“Where?”
“Warehouse…”
“We know.”
Samuel shook his head weakly.
“Not Seventeen.”
Evelyn leaned closer.
“What?”
“Below it.”
Charles crouched beside him.
Samuel struggled for breath.
“There’s another level.”
“What level?”
Samuel whispered:
“Where Richard kept the records.”
Evelyn grabbed his hand.
“Why does he want the key?”
Samuel’s eyes moved toward the flash drive.
“He doesn’t.”
Everyone froze.
“What?”
“He wants Daniel.”
Samuel coughed blood.
“The key was bait.”
Charles went pale.
“Why Daniel?”
Samuel looked at him.
Then whispered:
“Because Daniel is the only son Richard ever loved.”
His eyes closed.
Evelyn stared at Charles.
Marcus checked Samuel’s pulse.
Nothing.
Charles stood slowly.
For nine years he had believed his father wanted him dead because he had discovered the truth.
Now another possibility emerged.
Richard had not merely tried to eliminate Charles.
He had been protecting Daniel from something.
Or preparing him for something.
Evelyn’s phone rang.
Daniel.
She answered instantly.
“Daniel!”
Only static.
Then Daniel’s voice.
Weak.
Distant.
“Evelyn…”
Her heart stopped.
“Where are you?”
A long silence.
Then:
“I found Lily.”
Evelyn nearly collapsed with relief.
“Is she okay?”
“Yes.”
“Then get out.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
Daniel breathed heavily.
“Because Dad is here.”
Evelyn looked at Charles.
Daniel continued.
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“And he just told me why Rebecca had to die.”
The connection broke.
