Chapter 17 - The Last Hostage
Daniel entered unarmed.
At least, that was what Mark believed.
A transmitter was sewn into Daniel's coat.
Nora listened from the command van.
Mark's voice came through clearly.
"Twelve years. You got old."
Daniel answered, "So did you."
"You ruined everything."
"No. I found it."
Evelyn was tied to a chair but conscious.
Mark wanted the decrypted drive and Claire's ledger.
Daniel carried copies.
The originals were already with federal prosecutors.
When Mark realized that, his calm disappeared.
"You gave it to them?"
"Every page."
"Then why come?"
Daniel looked toward Evelyn.
"For family."
Nora closed her eyes.
For once, protection did not mean secrecy.
It meant showing up.
Mark raised his gun.
Agents moved toward the house.
Then a second voice came through the transmitter.
Adrian.
Nora spun.
"Where is he?"
Dominic swore.
Adrian had left the van through the rear door.
Inside the farmhouse, he stepped from a side hallway.
"Put it down, Bell."
Mark turned.
Daniel lunged.
A gunshot cracked.
Nora ran before anyone could stop her.
She reached the farmhouse as agents stormed the front.
Evelyn screamed.
Mark was on the floor beneath Daniel.
Adrian leaned against the wall, one hand pressed to his side.
Blood spread through his shirt.
Nora dropped beside him.
"You idiot."
He smiled weakly.
"You ran into a fire."
"That was different."
"How?"
She had no answer.
Paramedics pushed her aside.
Mark Bell was arrested alive.
Evelyn was freed.
Daniel survived without injury.
Adrian was taken into surgery.
Three hours later, the surgeon came out.
"He's stable."
Nora nearly collapsed.
Then Dominic handed her a sealed evidence bag recovered from Mark's farmhouse.
Inside was an envelope in Claire Bennett's handwriting.
ONCE THE TRUTH IS OUT, GIVE THIS TO NORA.
May you like
Nora stared at it.
Her mother had written one last secret.
