Chapter 14 - The first explosion threw everyone to the ground.Everett covered Junie with his body.
Gravestones cracked.
Dirt filled the air.
Lily screamed for Daniel.
Everett grabbed her.
“Move!”
They ran through the collapsing cemetery.
Behind them, Richard's helicopter climbed.
Victor tried to escape.
Daniel tackled him.
The second explosion sent both men into a crater.
Everett reached the cemetery wall.
Claire pulled Junie over.
Hannah followed.
Then Everett heard Lily scream.
“DANIEL!”
Everett turned.
Daniel was trapped beneath a fallen stone slab.
Victor crawled toward him.
Everett ran back.
He lifted the slab enough for Daniel to breathe.
Daniel looked at him.
“Take Junie.”
Everett shook his head.
“We're getting you out.”
Daniel grabbed his wrist.
“No.”
He coughed blood.
“You need to hear this.”
Everett leaned closer.
“Richard didn't start this.”
“What?”
“Your father did.”
Everett froze.
Daniel pulled the drive from his pocket.
“Everything is on there.”
“Then we'll expose him.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Not enough.”
He pointed toward the helicopter.
“Richard already has copies.”
Everett looked up.
“What do we do?”
Daniel's eyes moved toward Lily.
“Make him believe he won.”
Everett frowned.
Daniel whispered the plan.
Thirty minutes later, Everett's phone rang.
Richard.
“You're alive.”
Everett answered.
“Barely.”
Richard laughed.
“Leave the state.”
Everett looked at Lily.
“No.”
“Then I'll take another family member.”
Everett's jaw tightened.
“Touch them and…”
“And what?”
A pause.
Richard continued.
“I know about the drive.”
Everett said nothing.
“I want it.”
“Come get it.”
Richard smiled.
“Tomorrow.”
The call ended.
Everett turned to Hannah.
“Can you access the copies?”
“Yes.”
“Price?”
“He's working with federal agents.”
Lily looked at Everett.
“What are you planning?”
Everett smiled.
“Something your father taught me.”
“What?”
“Let the wolf enter the cage.”
The next evening, Everett returned to the Knox estate.
Alone.
He carried the real drive.
Richard was waiting.
Victor stood beside him.
Daniel was nowhere to be seen.
Richard smiled.
“You came.”
Everett placed the drive on the table.
“Take it.”
Richard picked it up.
He checked the contents.
Thousands of files.
Videos.
Bank records.
Names.
He smiled.
“At last.”
Everett looked at him.
“You're going to kill me.”
Richard shrugged.
“Eventually.”
“You killed my father.”
“Yes.”
“You killed innocent people.”
“Yes.”
“You destroyed Lily's life.”
Richard leaned closer.
“I saved this family.”
Everett laughed.
“You call this family?”
Richard's expression hardened.
“You were weak.”
He raised a gun.
Then the doors slammed open.
Federal agents poured inside.
Richard spun.
The lights turned red.
Cameras appeared.
Every screen in the mansion activated.
Lily's recorded testimony played.
Then Daniel's.
Then the bank records.
Then dozens of victims.
Richard shouted:
“You don't understand!”
The agents surrounded him.
Everett smiled.
“I do now.”
Richard looked toward the window.
Victor was gone.
Everett noticed.
“Where is Victor?”
Nobody answered.
Then Junie appeared on the mansion's screen.
She sat beside Claire.
Safe.
She held the silver bear.
She smiled.
“Mister Bear.”
Everett looked up.
“Yeah?”
The little girl pointed behind him.
Everett turned.
Victor stood in the doorway.
Gun raised.
He aimed directly at Junie.
But before he could fire…
Richard stepped in front of the bullet.
The gunshot echoed.
Richard collapsed.
Everyone froze.
Victor stared at him.
Then at Everett.
Richard opened his eyes.
He whispered:
“Take her.”
Everett stared.
“Why?”
Richard struggled to breathe.
“Because…”
He coughed.
“She's the only thing I ever regretted.”
Victor raised his weapon again.
Federal agents opened fire.
Victor fell.
Silence returned.
Everett ran toward Richard.
Richard smiled weakly.
“You look like your father.”
Everett stared down at him.
“You don't deserve forgiveness.”
Richard nodded.
“I know.”
Then his eyes closed.
For the first time in twenty years…
the Knox family empire finally went silent.
But the nightmare wasn't over.
Because in Richard's pocket was one final photograph.
It showed Lily's mother.
Alive.
Standing beside a grave.
May you like
And written on the back were five words:
THE FIRST KNOX IS STILL HERE.
