Chapter 6 - THE TRAP
Vincent Hale took the bait.
Within forty-eight hours, federal investigators began tracing his accounts.
He panicked.
That was exactly what David wanted.
But Vincent wasn't stupid.
He knew David had a weakness.
Chloe.
The attack came on a Tuesday afternoon.
Michael was driving Chloe home from school.
A black SUV followed them.
Then another.
Michael called David.
"We're being followed."
David stood immediately.
"Where?"
"Lake Shore Drive."
"Get her somewhere secure."
The line went dead.
I was at home when David arrived.
"Where's Chloe?"
"Michael has her."
"What happened?"
"Vincent."
My knees weakened.
David caught my arm.
"We'll get her."
We reached the safe location.
Michael's car was abandoned.
No Chloe.
No Michael.
I couldn't breathe.
David became terrifyingly calm.
"Lock the city down."
Men scattered.
Police were contacted.
Every Carter vehicle moved.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Mom?"
Chloe.
My heart broke.
"Baby!"
"I'm okay."
A man's voice came through.
"Mr. Carter."
David took the phone.
"Where is she?"
"Come alone."
"No."
"You'll receive a location."
The call ended.
I grabbed David.
"You're not going alone."
"I have to."
"No."
"Natasha."
"She's my daughter."
"And mine."
He looked at me.
"Then trust me."
"I do."
I held his hand.
"But don't ask me to sit quietly while our daughter is in danger."
He nodded.
"Fine."
The location was an abandoned theater.
David entered first.
I followed with Michael's backup team.
Vincent stood on the stage.
Chloe sat beside him.
She wasn't crying.
She was staring at him.
"Mom!"
I ran forward.
Vincent raised a gun.
I stopped.
David stepped between them.
"Let her go."
Vincent laughed.
"You always thought power meant protection."
David's expression was cold.
"No."
He took one step forward.
"Power means having something worth protecting."
Vincent raised the gun.
Then Chloe spoke.
"Mr. Vincent?"
Everyone froze.
"What?"
"You talk too much."
Even Vincent looked confused.
Chloe smiled.
"I learned that from Dad."
David almost smiled.
Michael moved.
Everything happened at once.
A gunshot.
Glass shattered.
Vincent dropped the weapon.
Carter men rushed forward.
Police stormed through the doors.
Vincent was arrested.
Chloe ran into my arms.
I held her so tightly she complained.
"Mom."
"I'm sorry."
"You always squeeze me."
"Because I love you."
She looked over my shoulder.
"Dad!"
David stood several feet away.
Blood covered his shirt.
I froze.
He looked down.
"Not mine."
Then Chloe ran to him.
He caught her.
She wrapped her arms around his waist.
David closed his eyes.
I saw tears.
Real tears.
For once, he didn't hide them.
Later that night, we learned the truth.
Vincent had not been working alone.
A corrupt attorney inside the Carter organization had provided information.
But that attorney was already cooperating with federal authorities.
Vincent's network collapsed.
David had one final choice.
Continue the old empire.
Or destroy it.
He chose the second.
He turned over financial records.
Closed illegal operations.
And walked away from the criminal side of his family's business.
The newspapers called it the end of the Carter empire.
May you like
They were wrong.
It was the beginning of something else.
