Chapter 15 - The BetrayalI confronted Emily.
“Did you sell me?”
She froze.
“Who told you that?”
“Kyle.”
She closed her eyes.
Then whispered:
“Yes.”
My world went silent.
“When?”
“Five years ago.”
“Why?”
“I needed the money.”
I stepped back.
“How much?”
“$200,000.”
I laughed.
“You sold me for two hundred thousand?”
“No.”
She looked at me.
“I sold information.”
“What information?”
“Your location.”
“To whom?”
“Daniel.”
I stared.
“You led them to me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She began crying.
“My father was dying.”
“That doesn't excuse it.”
“I know.”
“Did you know what they were doing?”
“No.”
“Did you know they were watching me?”
“Yes.”
“And you still helped them.”
“Yes.”
I turned away.
I wanted to hate her.
But I couldn't.
Not yet.
She grabbed my arm.
“I found out what they really wanted.”
“What?”
“You were never supposed to inherit the money.”
“What?”
“The money was bait.”
“Then what is the real prize?”
She looked at me.
“The Black Ledger.”
I frowned.
“Why?”
“Because the ledger contains names.”
“Names of the consortium?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
She whispered:
“Names of judges who can erase criminal records.”
“Politicians.”
“Yes.”
“Bankers.”
“Yes.”
“Who else?”
Emily hesitated.
“Presidents.”
I stared.
Then she opened her laptop.
A secure list appeared.
Hundreds of names.
At the bottom was one marked in red.
THORNE, DANIEL.
Next to it:
STATUS: ACTIVE.
I frowned.
“Active?”
She shook her head.
“That means Daniel isn't the leader.”
“Then who is?”
A hidden file opened.
A photograph appeared.
An older woman.
I recognized her immediately.
My grandmother.
Eleanor Thorne.
The woman whose grave we had visited.
I stared.
“She died twenty years ago.”
Emily whispered:
“The death certificate was fake.”
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
An elderly woman's voice spoke.
“You've been searching for me.”
My heart stopped.
“Grandmother?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you?”
“Exactly where you left me.”
“Where?”
She laughed softly.
“In your house.”
I turned toward the burned remains of Blackwood Manor.
There was no house left.
Then she said:
“Come to the cellar.”
The call ended.
Emily looked at me.
“You can't go.”
I picked up my coat.
“I have to.”
She grabbed my arm.
“That's what she wants.”
I looked at her.
“Then let her have me.”
We returned to the ruins.
Beneath the burned kitchen was a hidden staircase.
At the bottom was a steel door.
It opened.
Inside sat an elderly woman in a wheelchair.
Eleanor.
My grandmother.
She looked at me.
And smiled.
“Finally.”
Then she pointed to the wall.
There was a photograph of me.
Taken yesterday.
May you like
Beside it were three words.
YOUR REAL FAMILY.
