Chapter 9 - THE PRESIDENT'S SECRETMaya turned toward the voice.
“Julianne?”
A laugh echoed in the darkness.
“No.”
The lights flickered back on.
A woman stood at the far end of the archive.
Elegant.
Gray-haired.
Wearing a navy suit.
David recognized her immediately.
“Senator Evelyn Cross.”
She smiled.
“Good.”
David stared.
“You're part of this?”
She ignored him.
“Maya.”
Maya stepped forward.
“Where is Julianne?”
“Safe.”
“You knew about Lily.”
“Yes.”
Maya's face hardened.
“You let them kill her.”
Senator Cross looked almost bored.
“I authorized the operation.”
David lunged.
Federal agents restrained him.
“Why?”
Cross looked at him.
“Because your father had become uncontrollable.”
David froze.
“You're saying you were trying to stop him?”
“Yes.”
“By killing Lily?”
“No.”
Cross looked at Maya.
“Lily's death was a mistake.”
Maya went still.
“The order was to induce temporary illness.”
“What changed?”
“Someone increased the dose.”
David understood.
“Julianne.”
Cross nodded.
“She wanted Maya dead.”
Maya whispered,
“Why?”
“Because Julianne knew you possessed the trust.”
David turned to Maya.
“What trust?”
Cross answered.
“The Vance Legacy Trust.”
She walked closer.
“Arthur built Project Hush.”
“Thomas tried to destroy it.”
“Thomas was killed.”
“But before he died, he moved control of the entire network into your name.”
Maya stared.
“I didn't know.”
“That was the point.”
David shook his head.
“So why did Julianne target me?”
“Because she needed your signature to unlock the second half.”
“What second half?”
Cross looked at him.
“Your inheritance.”
David felt cold.
“My inheritance?”
“Your father left you control of every asset.”
“But the trust could only be activated if your spouse signed a transfer.”
Maya realized it.
“They needed me to sign away the trust.”
Cross nodded.
“And they needed David emotionally isolated.”
The yacht.
Julianne.
The divorce papers.
The digital detox.
Everything made sense.
Except one thing.
Maya looked at Cross.
“Why help us now?”
Cross smiled.
“Because Arthur has returned.”
David's blood ran cold.
“What?”
“Your father is alive.”
Maya stared.
“Where?”
Cross held out a photograph.
Arthur Vance.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Standing beside a private jet.
Taken two days ago.
David's hands trembled.
“Where is he?”
“Washington.”
“What does he want?”
Cross looked at Maya.
“You.”
David stepped between them.
“Why?”
Cross answered,
“Because Arthur believes you stole something from him.”
“What?”
“The ledger.”
David frowned.
“I don't have it.”
Cross smiled.
“Not yet.”
Then she reached into her pocket and removed a small key.
She placed it in Maya's palm.
“This belonged to Thomas.”
Maya looked down.
A brass number was engraved on it.
David's heart stopped.
“Room 19.”
Cross nodded.
“Thomas hid the ledger there.”
Maya looked at David.
“Then that's where we go.”
Cross shook her head.
“You're too late.”
“Why?”
She looked toward the archive entrance.
“Because Arthur already knows you have the key.”
A distant alarm began screaming.
Cross turned toward the corridor.
Then she whispered:
“And he's coming for it.”
The door exploded inward.
And standing in the smoke was an old man David had not seen in fifteen years.
Arthur Vance.
His father.
Alive.
May you like
Smiling.
“Hello, son.”
