Chapter 16 - The ChoicePike pointed the gun toward the floor.
“Relax.”
Nobody relaxed.
“You've found the file.”
“How did you know?”
“Because Robert couldn't resist leaving a trail.”
“You killed him.”
Pike smiled.
“I didn't.”
My mother flinched.
Pike looked at her.
“You did.”
My mother stared.
“No.”
“You signed the transfer.”
“You poisoned him.”
Pike laughed.
“I supplied the poison.”
Silence.
“But I didn't pour it.”
My mother's face collapsed.
Pike continued.
“You wanted Robert gone because he was going to expose the trust.”
“That isn't true.”
“You asked me for help.”
I looked at my mother.
She couldn't meet my eyes.
My entire childhood rearranged itself in one terrible instant.
Pike pointed the weapon toward the table.
“Where is the drive?”
Sage stepped forward.
“I have it.”
“No.”
She held it up.
“You want it?”
Pike nodded.
“Then tell me the truth.”
He smiled.
“You have no idea how powerful truth can be.”
Sage's voice was steady.
“Did you kill Grandpa?”
Pike paused.
“Yes.”
My mother screamed.
Pike continued.
“I thought he would die quietly.”
“Why?”
“Because your family had already done the work.”
He looked at my mother.
“Greed makes people predictable.”
I felt something inside me crack.
“You manipulated all of us.”
“Yes.”
“Why Sage?”
“Because Robert built the trust around her.”
“That doesn't explain the spying.”
“Children become leverage.”
Noah moved.
Pike raised the gun.
“Stay where you are.”
Noah froze.
Pike looked at Sage.
“You have one chance.”
“What do you want?”
“The original deed.”
I frowned.
“What deed?”
“The Hart deed.”
My father had never mentioned it.
Pike's expression changed.
“You don't have it.”
“No.”
“Then you don't understand what your grandfather left behind.”
Sage shook her head.
“Then why are you scared?”
He looked at her.
For the first time, Pike's confidence slipped.
She had found the question he didn't want to answer.
Evelyn stepped forward.
“We know where it is.”
Pike turned.
“Where?”
“In the trust.”
His face changed.
“The deed was never destroyed.”
Evelyn smiled.
“It was sealed.”
“Where?”
“Inside the final beneficiary file.”
Pike pointed the gun toward her.
“Where?”
She looked at Sage.
“Your grandfather gave her the key.”
Pike stared at Sage's bracelet.
The capsule.
His eyes widened.
“You already opened it.”
Sage nodded.
“And I copied everything.”
Pike went pale.
“No.”
“Yes.”
He stepped back.
That was when the police sirens started outside.
Pike spun toward the window.
My phone was on the table.
I had called 911 before he entered the room.
He had been talking for eleven minutes.
Every word recorded.
Pike stared at me.
“You think this ends with me?”
“No.”
I looked at my mother.
“It ends with everyone.”
Pike dropped the gun.
Officers rushed inside.
He was arrested.
My mother sank onto the floor.
But Sage wasn't looking at him.
She was staring at the final file.
One line had appeared on the screen.
ACCESS GRANTED.
A name was displayed.
DANIEL ELLIS.
May you like
And beneath it:
HE IS COMING HOME.
