Chapter 3 - THE WOMAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
Daniel Cross lived outside Annapolis in a modest house surrounded by pine trees.
He was seventy-four.
He opened the door holding a shotgun.
Then he saw Tobias.
The weapon lowered.
“Oh, God.”
Tobias nodded.
“Hello, Daniel.”
The old man stared at his legs.
“You're walking.”
“I am.”
Daniel looked at me.
“And you're alive.”
“So are you,” I said.
His expression darkened.
“Then we have a problem.”
Inside, Daniel showed us the original documents.
The trust had never been transferred.
The shipyard still belonged to me.
But that wasn't the biggest revelation.
Daniel opened an old safe.
Inside was a cassette tape.
“My father recorded everything,” Tobias said.
Daniel inserted it into an ancient player.
Static filled the room.
Then my father's voice emerged.
“If you're hearing this, something happened to us.”
I closed my eyes.
Dad continued.
“Gideon Hale is attempting to acquire the shipyard through shell companies. Eleanor knows. She believes she can negotiate with him.”
My mother.
I covered my mouth.
Then Dad said something that made Tobias stiffen.
“Do not trust anyone connected to the Hale family.”
The recording ended.
Silence.
Then Daniel said:
“There's more.”
He gave me another envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
Garrett.
Standing beside Gideon.
Ten years ago.
Garrett wasn't a stranger to the conspiracy.
He had been part of it.
My knees weakened.
“No.”
Daniel nodded.
“He was young.”
“But he loved me.”
“Maybe.”
That answer hurt.
“Maybe?”
Daniel looked directly at me.
“People can love you and still betray you.”
A vehicle passed outside.
Tobias moved toward the window.
“Down.”
We dropped behind the sofa.
Two black SUVs rolled slowly past the house.
Then stopped.
Daniel cursed.
“They found us.”
A window shattered.
Glass exploded across the room.
Tobias grabbed my arm.
“Basement.”
We ran.
Three men entered through the front door.
Gunfire cracked through the hallway.
Daniel pulled a lever beneath the staircase.
A hidden door opened.
We descended.
The tunnel led into the woods.
We emerged behind an old barn.
Tobias looked back.
Daniel was still inside.
“We can't leave him.”
“We have to.”
“Daniel!”
A gunshot echoed.
Then another.
We ran.
Only when we reached the road did Tobias stop.
His face was wet with tears.
“He knew this would happen.”
“What?”
“He knew we'd have to run.”
He handed me a flash drive.
“What is that?”
“Everything.”
I looked at him.
“Everything?”
“Bank accounts. names. recordings.”
May you like
He swallowed.
“And one file about Garrett.”
