Chapter 13 - The Last LieRichard followed Ethan.
Not because he trusted him.
Because he didn't.
Ethan drove into the city.
Richard's car stayed several blocks behind.
Eventually Ethan entered an abandoned office building.
Richard called Mason.
“I'm going in.”
“Wait for backup.”
“No.”
“Richard…”
The call ended.
Inside the building, Ethan climbed to the fourth floor.
A door stood open.
“Ethan?”
No answer.
Richard entered.
The room was empty.
Then a voice came from behind him.
“You really shouldn't follow people.”
Richard spun.
Daniel Voss stood by the window.
He looked older than Richard remembered.
Calm.
Almost amused.
“You killed my wife.”
Daniel smiled.
“Maria died because she knew too much.”
Richard lunged.
Daniel stepped aside.
Two men emerged from the shadows.
They held Richard down.
Daniel placed a folder on the table.
“Your daughter has fourteen days until she becomes the legal owner of the Bellamy Trust.”
“Then why are you afraid?”
“Because her death activates another clause.”
“What clause?”
“The assets become frozen.”
Richard understood.
“You need her alive long enough to sign.”
Daniel nodded.
“So why poison her?”
“A warning.”
“Why risk killing her?”
“Because fear makes people obedient.”
Richard's voice became cold.
“You've been threatening Ethan too.”
Daniel laughed.
“Ethan is weak.”
“You ruined his life.”
“No.”
“I gave him a purpose.”
Richard stared.
“What did you tell him?”
“That his mother was responsible for Julian's disappearance.”
“She wasn't.”
“I knew.”
Richard's jaw tightened.
“You manipulated everyone.”
Daniel leaned closer.
“Everyone except Olivia.”
“What does that mean?”
“She figured it out.”
Richard's heart raced.
“Where is she?”
Daniel smiled.
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“Exactly where I need her.”
A screen lit up.
Olivia appeared.
She was sitting at a table.
Her hands were free.
She looked directly at the camera.
“Dad.”
Richard stepped forward.
“Olivia!”
Daniel stopped him.
“She made a choice.”
Olivia spoke.
“Dad, don't do anything.”
“What happened?”
“I found the ledger.”
Richard froze.
“What ledger?”
“The real one.”
Daniel looked irritated.
Olivia continued.
“The trust wasn't stolen.”
“What?”
“It was transferred.”
“To whom?”
Olivia looked at the camera.
“To Maria.”
Richard stared.
“What?”
Daniel's expression changed.
Olivia continued.
“My mother secretly moved the entire trust into a protected account before she died.”
Richard looked at Daniel.
“You never had the money.”
Daniel's face hardened.
“I have enough.”
“No,” Olivia said.
“You don't.”
She smiled faintly.
“I found the final account.”
Daniel turned toward the screen.
“What did you do?”
Olivia answered,
“I sent it to the authorities.”
Daniel's expression changed for the first time.
Fear.
Richard realized.
She had trapped him.
Daniel pulled out his phone.
He looked at the message.
Then at Richard.
“You little…”
A gunshot interrupted him.
One of Daniel's men collapsed.
The lights went out.
Richard heard shouting.
Then Ethan appeared from the darkness.
“Dad.”
Richard stared.
“Where is Olivia?”
“She's not here.”
“What?”
“She's at the hotel.”
Richard's heart sank.
“That was a recording.”
“Yes.”
“Then where did you get the video?”
Ethan looked at Daniel.
“He created it.”
Daniel stood.
But Mason's voice suddenly echoed through the building.
“Daniel Voss! You're surrounded!”
Police stormed the room.
Daniel tried to escape.
He was arrested.
But Ethan grabbed Richard's arm.
“We have to leave.”
“Why?”
Ethan looked terrified.
“Because Daniel wasn't the one who sent me the message.”
Richard froze.
“Who did?”
Ethan whispered,
“Someone else.”
Back at the hotel, Olivia was waiting.
She rushed to Richard.
He embraced her.
“I thought I lost you.”
“You didn't.”
Ethan approached.
Olivia looked at him.
“You were telling the truth.”
He nodded.
“I am.”
Richard asked,
“Who sent the message?”
Ethan hesitated.
Before he could answer, the hotel alarm sounded.
Everyone turned.
Mason ran in.
“There's a fire in the east wing.”
Richard looked toward the smoke.
The alarms screamed.
Guests poured into the lobby.
Olivia suddenly gripped Richard's arm.
“Dad.”
“What?”
She pointed toward the fire stairs.
A woman was walking down.
Calmly.
Carrying a small black suitcase.
Richard recognized her.
Evelyn Cole.
But there was something wrong.
She wasn't running from the fire.
May you like
She was carrying it toward the basement.
And in her hand was the key to Room 18.
