Julian moved first.<\/p>\n
He stepped between Elena and the corridor.<\/p>\n
"Stay here."<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Elena."<\/p>\n
"We leave together."<\/p>\n
A shadow passed beneath the door.<\/p>\n
Then the lights went out.<\/p>\n
The darkness was complete.<\/p>\n
Elena heard Julian breathe.<\/p>\n
A metallic object struck the floor somewhere outside.<\/p>\n
Then came the smell of smoke.<\/p>\n
"Fire," Julian whispered.<\/p>\n
Elena grabbed his arm.<\/p>\n
"We're leaving."<\/p>\n
They moved toward the staircase.<\/p>\n
Smoke began creeping beneath the archive door.<\/p>\n
Someone had started a fire in the corridor.<\/p>\n
Julian pulled the emergency release.<\/p>\n
The door opened.<\/p>\n
Heat struck them immediately.<\/p>\n
"Back!"<\/p>\n
He slammed it shut.<\/p>\n
The archive was sealed.<\/p>\n
Elena looked around.<\/p>\n
"There has to be another exit."<\/p>\n
"There is."<\/p>\n
"Where?"<\/p>\n
"Your mother's office."<\/p>\n
They moved through the shelves.<\/p>\n
Julian found a hidden panel.<\/p>\n
He pressed it.<\/p>\n
Nothing happened.<\/p>\n
"Try the key."<\/p>\n
Elena inserted the key.<\/p>\n
The panel opened.<\/p>\n
Behind it was a narrow passage.<\/p>\n
They entered.<\/p>\n
The door closed behind them.<\/p>\n
Smoke remained outside.<\/p>\n
The passage led upward.<\/p>\n
At the top, another door opened into an abandoned office.<\/p>\n
Elena coughed.<\/p>\n
Julian closed the door.<\/p>\n
They could hear distant alarms.<\/p>\n
"Who knew we were here?"<\/p>\n
Elena asked.<\/p>\n
"I don't know."<\/p>\n
"You called no one."<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"I told no one."<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
She looked at him.<\/p>\n
"Then someone was already watching us."<\/p>\n
Julian nodded.<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
They left through a rear stairwell.<\/p>\n
Outside, firefighters were already arriving.<\/p>\n
The old building had been evacuated.<\/p>\n
Elena stood across the street.<\/p>\n
Smoke rose from the lower windows.<\/p>\n
She watched until the fire crews entered.<\/p>\n
Julian stood beside her.<\/p>\n
"The archive is gone."<\/p>\n
"Not everything."<\/p>\n
He looked at her.<\/p>\n
She held up a small folder.<\/p>\n
She had taken it before they escaped.<\/p>\n
The label read:<\/p>\n
ORIGINAL AGREEMENTS.<\/p>\n
Julian stared.<\/p>\n
"You took that?"<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
He almost smiled.<\/p>\n
"Your mother would be proud."<\/p>\n
Elena looked at the burning building.<\/p>\n
"I don't want her approval anymore."<\/p>\n
"Why?"<\/p>\n
"Because I need to make my own decisions."<\/p>\n
The next morning, investigators determined that the fire had been deliberately started.<\/p>\n
No one had been injured.<\/p>\n
The official report called it arson.<\/p>\n
Elena called Margaret.<\/p>\n
No answer.<\/p>\n
She tried again.<\/p>\n
Still nothing.<\/p>\n
Her heart tightened.<\/p>\n
She contacted the address Margaret had given her.<\/p>\n
A neighbor answered.<\/p>\n
"Margaret?"<\/p>\n
"She left last night."<\/p>\n
"Did she say where?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
Elena ended the call.<\/p>\n
Someone had reached Margaret.<\/p>\n
She knew it.<\/p>\n
Julian looked at her.<\/p>\n
"We need security."<\/p>\n
"We already have it."<\/p>\n
"More."<\/p>\n
Elena nodded.<\/p>\n
Then she opened the recovered folder.<\/p>\n
Inside were original agreements from years earlier.<\/p>\n
One contained Evelyn's signature.<\/p>\n
Another contained Richard's.<\/p>\n
A third contained Alexander's.<\/p>\n
The fourth had no signature.<\/p>\n
But the handwriting was unmistakable.<\/p>\n
Victoria's.<\/p>\n
Elena read the document.<\/p>\n
It was an agreement between a private intermediary and Blackridge.<\/p>\n
Victoria had provided information about Sterling Holdings.<\/p>\n
In exchange, she would receive a percentage of the recovery profits.<\/p>\n
Elena closed her eyes.<\/p>\n
Victoria had not created the entire conspiracy.<\/p>\n
But she had participated.<\/p>\n
She had given Blackridge access.<\/p>\n
She had used the company's weakness for personal gain.<\/p>\n
And she had helped create the pressure that eventually made Alexander desperate.<\/p>\n
Elena called Victoria.<\/p>\n
She answered immediately.<\/p>\n
"Elena?"<\/p>\n
"I know."<\/p>\n
Victoria went silent.<\/p>\n
"I found the agreement."<\/p>\n
Another silence.<\/p>\n
"Where?"<\/p>\n
"Does it matter?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Did you sign it?"<\/p>\n
Victoria began crying.<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
"Why?"<\/p>\n
"I was trying to save the family."<\/p>\n
"By selling information?"<\/p>\n
"I thought I could control it."<\/p>\n
"You couldn't."<\/p>\n
"I know."<\/p>\n
"Did Alexander know?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Did Richard?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Who else?"<\/p>\n
Victoria didn't answer.<\/p>\n
"Victoria."<\/p>\n
"I don't know."<\/p>\n
"You do."<\/p>\n
"I swear I don't."<\/p>\n
Elena heard something in her voice.<\/p>\n
Fear.<\/p>\n
Not guilt.<\/p>\n
Fear.<\/p>\n
"Who are you afraid of?"<\/p>\n
Victoria whispered.<\/p>\n
"Daniel."<\/p>\n
Elena froze.<\/p>\n
"Daniel Cross?"<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
"He's been gone for years."<\/p>\n
"He never left."<\/p>\n
"What?"<\/p>\n
"Not really."<\/p>\n
Victoria was crying harder now.<\/p>\n
"He disappeared from the company, but he continued working through other people."<\/p>\n
"Who?"<\/p>\n
"I don't know."<\/p>\n
"How did he contact you?"<\/p>\n
"Letters."<\/p>\n
"Where are they?"<\/p>\n
"At the old house."<\/p>\n
"The mansion?"<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
"Is anyone there?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
Elena ended the call.<\/p>\n
She turned to Julian.<\/p>\n
"We're going to the old Sterling house."<\/p>\n
They arrived an hour later.<\/p>\n
The mansion was empty.<\/p>\n
Dust covered the furniture.<\/p>\n
The rooms felt smaller without people.<\/p>\n
Victoria had left most of her belongings behind.<\/p>\n
Elena found the study.<\/p>\n
A locked drawer contained several letters.<\/p>\n
All unsigned.<\/p>\n
All written in Daniel's hand.<\/p>\n
The first demanded money.<\/p>\n
The second demanded information.<\/p>\n
The third contained a threat.<\/p>\n
If you stop cooperating, Elena learns everything.<\/p>\n
Elena read it twice.<\/p>\n
"Daniel controlled Victoria."<\/p>\n
Julian nodded.<\/p>\n
"Looks like it."<\/p>\n
She opened the final letter.<\/p>\n
The date was only six weeks old.<\/p>\n
You were warned. The girl is becoming too curious.<\/p>\n
Elena's face hardened.<\/p>\n
"Girl."<\/p>\n
Julian looked over her shoulder.<\/p>\n
"They're watching you."<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
She shook her head.<\/p>\n
"They're afraid of me."<\/p>\n
Julian said nothing.<\/p>\n
Elena folded the letter.<\/p>\n
Then a floorboard creaked behind them.<\/p>\n
They turned.<\/p>\n
A man stood in the doorway.<\/p>\n
He was older.<\/p>\n
Thin.<\/p>\n
Gray hair.<\/p>\n
A dark coat.<\/p>\n
Elena recognized him from the photograph.<\/p>\n
Daniel Cross.<\/p>\n
He looked at her.<\/p>\n
"Your mother was right."<\/p>\n
Elena's voice remained steady.<\/p>\n
"About what?"<\/p>\n
"You're harder to fool than she was."<\/p>\n
Julian stepped forward.<\/p>\n
Daniel smiled.<\/p>\n
"Don't."<\/p>\n
He lifted one hand.<\/p>\n
"I didn't come here to hurt you."<\/p>\n
"Then why?"<\/p>\n
"To finish something your mother started."<\/p>\n
Elena stared at him.<\/p>\n
"What?"<\/p>\n
Daniel looked at the letters.<\/p>\n
"An explanation."<\/p>\n
"You burned the archive."<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
"Why?"<\/p>\n
"Because there were things in it that should never have survived."<\/p>\n
"You mean evidence."<\/p>\n
"I mean people."<\/p>\n
Elena frowned.<\/p>\n
Daniel continued.<\/p>\n
"Your mother built a network of secrets."<\/p>\n
"To protect people."<\/p>\n
"To control them."<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"You don't know what she did."<\/p>\n
Elena stepped closer.<\/p>\n
"Then tell me."<\/p>\n
Daniel looked at Julian.<\/p>\n
"He knows."<\/p>\n
Julian's face tightened.<\/p>\n
"Don't."<\/p>\n
Daniel laughed.<\/p>\n
"Still protecting her."<\/p>\n
Elena looked between them.<\/p>\n
"What does he know?"<\/p>\n
Daniel ignored the question.<\/p>\n
"Your mother wasn't trying to stop Blackridge."<\/p>\n
"Then what was she doing?"<\/p>\n
"She was using them."<\/p>\n
The words landed hard.<\/p>\n
Elena stared.<\/p>\n
"Why?"<\/p>\n
"To find the person inside her organization who was selling information."<\/p>\n
Elena's eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n
"Did she know who it was?"<\/p>\n
Daniel smiled.<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
"Who?"<\/p>\n
"That's the part she never told anyone."<\/p>\n
He stepped backward.<\/p>\n
"Ask Julian."<\/p>\n
Then he disappeared through the doorway.<\/p>\n
Elena ran after him.<\/p>\n
By the time she reached the hall, he was gone.<\/p>\n
Julian remained behind.<\/p>\n
She turned toward him.<\/p>\n
"What did he mean?"<\/p>\n
Julian looked exhausted.<\/p>\n
"Your mother suspected someone inside Vance Capital."<\/p>\n
"I know."<\/p>\n
"She never knew who."<\/p>\n
Daniel said she did."<\/p>\n
"Daniel lies."<\/p>\n
"Then why did he tell me to ask you?"<\/p>\n
Julian stared at her.<\/p>\n
"Because he wants you to distrust me."<\/p>\n
"Do I?"<\/p>\n
Julian didn't answer.<\/p>\n
Elena walked past him.<\/p>\n
She stopped at the front door.<\/p>\n
"Find Daniel."<\/p>\n
"I will."<\/p>\n
"And find Margaret."<\/p>\n
"I will."<\/p>\n
She looked back.<\/p>\n
"And Julian?"<\/p>\n
"Yes?"<\/p>\n
"If you know something you're hiding from me, tell me now."<\/p>\n
He stood in silence.<\/p>\n
Finally he said:<\/p>\n
"There is one thing."<\/p>\n
Elena waited.<\/p>\n
"Your mother didn't die naturally."<\/p>\n
The room seemed to tilt.<\/p>\n
"What?"<\/p>\n
Julian's face was pale.<\/p>\n
"She was poisoned."<\/p>\n
Elena stared at him.<\/p>\n
"Why didn't you tell me?"<\/p>\n
"Because she ordered me not to."<\/p>\n
"Why?"<\/p>\n
"Because she knew the person responsible would come after you next."<\/p>\n
Elena's voice became barely audible.<\/p>\n
"Who poisoned my mother?"<\/p>\n
Julian looked at her.<\/p>\n
"We never found out."<\/p>\n
Julian moved first. He stepped between Elena and the corridor. "Stay here." "No." "Elena." "We leave together." A shadow passed beneath the door. Then the lights went out. The darkness … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4501,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4512","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-readmore"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4512","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4512"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4512\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4527,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4512\/revisions\/4527"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4501"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}