Chapter 8 - THE NIGHT EVERYTHING CAME OUT
The meeting took place inside an abandoned warehouse near the Hudson.
I carried the documents.
Daniel stayed nearby.
Vanessa and federal agents monitored the building.
Charles appeared alone.
He looked older than I remembered.
"You have your mother's eyes."
"Where is my father?"
"Safe."
"Bring him out."
"First, the documents."
I held up the folder.
"Why did you manipulate my marriage?"
Charles smiled.
"I didn't."
"You created the trust."
"Your mother did."
"You wanted me married to Daniel."
"Your mother believed the Harrison family could protect you."
"Then why destroy us?"
"Because Daniel became inconvenient."
Daniel stepped from the shadows.
Charles wasn't surprised.
"I knew you'd come."
Daniel raised his weapon.
"Where is my father?"
Charles smiled.
"Dead."
Daniel froze.
"I lied about him being alive to bring you here."
Then another door opened.
My father walked in.
Alive.
Older.
Weak.
But alive.
"Dad."
I ran toward him.
Charles watched.
"My father tried to expose me," he said. "Your mother tried to expose me. Richard tried to expose me."
He laughed.
"They all failed."
My father looked at me.
"Don't give him the documents."
Charles raised a gun.
"Then he dies."
I stopped.
Daniel moved beside me.
"Take me instead."
Charles looked amused.
"You really do love her."
Daniel swallowed.
"I should have loved her better."
Charles looked at me.
"That is the tragedy."
He stepped forward.
"Your marriage was supposed to be temporary."
I stared.
"What?"
"You were supposed to inherit the trust, transfer control, and disappear."
My stomach turned.
"Why?"
"Because your mother built Northstar with one purpose."
"Which was?"
"To expose people like me."
He smiled.
"I changed the purpose."
He wanted to use the network to control them.
Suddenly, the warehouse lights came on.
Federal agents stormed inside.
Charles turned.
Vanessa had triggered the operation.
Charles fired.
The shot missed.
Agents tackled him.
Everything happened at once.
My father collapsed.
"Dad!"
Daniel caught him.
"He's breathing."
I dropped beside them.
My father looked at me.
"You were always stronger than me."
"No."
I held his hand.
"You just forgot how strong you were."
Charles was arrested.
The evidence was secured.
Northstar was dismantled.
But the story wasn't finished.
Because the trust contained one final document.
A list.
Names.
People Charles had blackmailed.
Some were powerful.
Some were dangerous.
And one name at the bottom made Daniel go completely silent.
May you like
Margaret Harrison.
His mother.
