Chapter 5 - The Price of Betrayal
Evelyn survived.
The bullet missed her by inches.
Larkin moved her to a secure property outside the city before sunrise.
Penelope went with him.
For three days, the world narrowed to security reports, financial records, and memories Evelyn had spent fourteen years trying not to lose.
The truth arrived piece by piece.
Larkin's father had not built the syndicate alone.
Graham had been his partner.
Then the brothers began stealing from each other.
Evelyn discovered both men's secret accounts.
She planned to expose them.
Her husband responded by having her declared mentally unstable.
Graham helped.
Years later, however, guilt apparently changed something in him.
He kept Evelyn alive.
Then, eleven months ago, he began moving money.
Not out of the syndicate.
Into a protected account.
For Larkin.
"He was preparing for something," Penelope said.
Larkin stood beside the fireplace.
"Or baiting me."
Evelyn shook her head.
"Your uncle is many terrible things. But he is afraid."
"Of whom?"
She looked at Thomas.
Thomas had joined them that morning.
Evelyn whispered, "Your father."
Nobody moved.
Larkin's face became stone.
"My father is dead."
"No."
The room went silent.
Penelope felt the entire story rearrange itself.
Evelyn explained.
Nathaniel Steves had faked his death three years earlier.
The funeral.
The succession.
Larkin inheriting the empire.
All deliberate.
Nathaniel had wanted freedom from scrutiny while his son modernized the organization.
He intended to return when everything was stronger.
And now he was coming back.
"Why kill Roman?" Thomas asked.
"War," Penelope answered.
Everyone looked at her.
"He needs instability. If the families start fighting, Larkin looks weak. Then Nathaniel returns as the old leader who can restore order."
Larkin's jaw tightened.
"And the money?"
"Graham was building an escape fund."
"For whom?"
Penelope looked at Evelyn.
"For all of you."
That afternoon, Graham called.
He requested a meeting.
Alone.
Larkin refused the alone part.
They met inside an abandoned theater in Brooklyn.
Graham looked twenty years older than Penelope expected.
"I tried to fix it," he told Larkin.
"You helped bury my mother alive."
"I know."
Larkin stepped toward him.
Penelope caught his sleeve.
Graham continued.
"Nathaniel will destroy everything rather than let you keep it."
"Where is he?"
"I don't know."
"Then you're useless."
"No."
Graham looked at Penelope.
"She isn't."
Penelope stiffened.
Graham removed a flash drive.
"Your secretary has been finding the trail I left."
"You left it deliberately?"
"Every number."
He handed the drive to Penelope.
"Your father never respected accountants. That was always his weakness."
A shot cracked through the theater.
Graham jerked.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Larkin caught him before he fell.
Security opened fire toward the balcony.
Penelope dropped behind a row of seats.
Graham pressed the flash drive into Larkin's palm.
"Don't become him."
Then his hand went limp.
Larkin stared at his uncle.
Something inside him seemed to fracture.
But Penelope had no time to comfort him.
Her phone vibrated.
A message appeared from an unknown number.
You have something that belongs to me.
A second message followed.
Bring the drive tomorrow or Evelyn dies.
Penelope looked toward Larkin.
Then she deleted the message.
May you like
It was the first secret she had ever kept from him.
And it would nearly cost both of them everything.
