Chapter 10 - THE DEAD MAN
William Cole looked older.
Five years of grief collapsed into one impossible second.
“You’re dead.”
“On paper.”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“Family tradition.”
Ethan turned toward Graham, who entered behind him holding the gun.
Everything made sense now.
The controlled investigators.
William had done it before.
“You staged your own death.”
“Necessary.”
“For what?”
“To move without scrutiny.”
“You let me bury an empty casket.”
“You survived.”
William looked at his granddaughter.
His expression softened.
“Sophie.”
“Don’t talk to her,” Ethan said.
“You always were emotional.”
“And you always called cruelty discipline.”
The older man’s eyes hardened.
“Careful.”
“You ordered my death.”
“No.”
“You ordered Graham to handle me.”
“I ordered him to contain a risk.”
Vanessa laughed through pain.
“That’s how he says kill.”
“You became sentimental.”
“I became human.”
“No. You became sloppy.”
Ethan looked at his father.
“Forty million dollars.”
“That’s what you think this is about?”
“Cole-Voss moved hundreds of millions over twenty years.”
“From where?”
“Land deals. redevelopment grants. insurance. hospitals. political contracts.”
Claire held up the drive.
“Then this ends you.”
William’s eyes went to it.
For the first time, he looked interested.
“Give me that.”
“No.”
Sophie grabbed Ethan’s hand.
William said calmly, “Do not make this harder in front of the child.”
“You hid her mother. Let Vanessa terrorize her. And now you’re worried about manners?”
“Vanessa acted without my permission where Sophie was concerned.”
Vanessa whispered, “Liar.”
“What?”
“She knows.”
Everyone looked at Vanessa.
She pressed the bloody towel to her shoulder.
“Sophie knows why Claire was kept alive.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Baby?”
Sophie reached into her pajama pocket.
She pulled out a small silver key.
Vanessa looked terrified.
May you like
Ethan had never seen his father afraid.
“Mommy told me to hide this from Grandpa.”
