Chapter 10 - THE MAN RYAN PAIDRyan's confession came in pieces.
He had never ordered the attack.
He hadn't even known the exact plan.
But after the convoy was hit, Vane came to him.
Vane knew Ryan had financial connections to the company.
He showed him documents.
Transfers.
Shell companies.
Names.
He threatened to expose the entire Cooper family.
“What did he want?” Hale asked.
Ryan answered:
“Money.”
“How much?”
“Initially two million.”
“And you paid?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Company accounts.”
Daniel stared at him.
“You've been stealing for nine years to pay a blackmailer?”
Ryan nodded.
“Every time I thought it was over, another demand came.”
I looked at him.
“Why didn't you tell Dad?”
“Because Vane had something.”
“What?”
Ryan looked at me.
“You.”
I frowned.
“What about me?”
“He had footage.”
My stomach tightened.
“What footage?”
Ryan couldn't speak.
Hale pressed him.
“Say it.”
“A camera near the convoy.”
“Of what?”
“Of Audrey.”
I felt the room tilt.
“Doing what?”
Ryan looked at me.
“Going back.”
The memory returned.
The second vehicle.
Flames.
A soldier trapped inside.
I went back.
Again.
And again.
There had been a camera.
Someone had filmed it.
But why was that footage valuable?
Ryan continued.
“Vane said the footage showed someone giving you an order.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“Then why blackmail me?”
“Because the person giving the order wasn't supposed to be there.”
Hale leaned forward.
“Who?”
Ryan looked at me.
Then at Dad.
“The man beside Audrey was wearing civilian clothes.”
I remembered the silver ring.
Cedar.
The black cap.
Then the memory shifted.
His face.
Not Vane.
Not Ryan.
Someone else.
A man I'd forgotten.
My father's former business partner.
Martin Cooper.
My uncle.
Except Martin had died seven years earlier.
I stared at Dad.
“Uncle Martin?”
Dad's face collapsed.
Ryan whispered:
“He didn't die.”
The room went silent.
I stood so quickly the chair fell backward.
“What?”
Ryan's eyes were wet.
“Dad changed the records.”
Dad began crying.
“He was in witness protection.”
I stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because Martin was the one who stole the military contracts.”
Hale's voice hardened.
“And the attack?”
Dad looked at me.
“Martin gave Vane the route.”
I felt something tear inside me.
Then Ellis's phone rang.
She listened.
Her expression changed.
“Where?”
She looked at me.
“Caleb is gone.”
I felt my stomach drop.
“What do you mean gone?”
“His safe location was compromised.”
“Who took him?”
Ellis looked at Ryan.
“No one knows.”
Then her phone buzzed again.
A message.
She read it.
And slowly showed us the screen.
YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE WRONG COOPER.
Below it was a photograph.
My father.
May you like
Standing with Martin.
Taken yesterday.
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