Chapter 6 - The Woman Who Ran
Elaine had not disappeared because she was guilty.
She had disappeared because she was terrified.
That realization changed the entire investigation.
Damian immediately contacted law enforcement.
Marcus refused to wait inside the hospital.
“I know the archive building.”
“So do trained officers.”
“Warren knows me.”
Damian stared at him.
“That's exactly why you shouldn't go.”
Victoria spoke from behind them.
“I'll go.”
Marcus turned.
“No.”
“The message asks for me.”
“Which means it's a trap.”
“Obviously.”
Victoria remained perfectly calm.
“But a trap is only useful when someone enters it.”
Khloe watched the argument from her hospital bed.
Then she interrupted.
“Warren doesn't want Victoria dead.”
Everyone looked at her.
“He wants something she has.”
Victoria touched the encrypted drive in her pocket.
“The evidence.”
Khloe nodded.
“If he wanted to silence Elaine, she'd already be dead.”
Damian disliked the logic because it made sense.
A tactical police team moved toward the archive building while Victoria and Marcus followed several blocks behind.
Khloe remained at the hospital under armed protection.
It was the longest hour of her life.
She watched her son's heartbeat on the fetal monitor.
Every rhythmic pulse reminded her why she could not afford another mistake.
Meanwhile, Marcus entered the archive building through an underground parking garage.
Victoria walked beside him.
“You should have told me about Isabella years ago.”
Marcus looked at her.
“You never asked.”
“I knew.”
He stopped.
“What?”
“I knew you were seeing her.”
“Then why pretend you didn't?”
“Because your father wanted you to end it.”
Marcus felt anger rise.
“My father?”
“He believed Isabella wanted your name more than she wanted you.”
Marcus looked away.
“Maybe he was right.”
They reached the third floor.
The building smelled of dust and old paper.
A light glowed beneath one office door.
Marcus opened it.
Elaine sat tied to a chair.
She was alone.
Marcus rushed forward.
“Elaine.”
“Don't!”
He froze.
A thin wire ran beneath her chair.
Elaine was crying.
“Pressure trigger.”
Victoria stopped breathing.
“If I stand up, it activates something downstairs.”
Marcus immediately called the tactical commander.
Officers began searching the lower floors.
Elaine looked at Victoria.
“I didn't help Warren willingly.”
“Tell us what happened.”
“He found my brother.”
Marcus frowned.
“Your brother?”
“He owes money.”
“A lot.”
Elaine swallowed.
“Warren paid it.”
“And then?”
“He made me give Isabella access to the executive network.”
Victoria's expression darkened.
“What else?”
“He wanted schedules.”
“Board records.”
“Your movements.”
Elaine's voice broke.
“I didn't know anyone would hurt Khloe.”
Marcus believed her.
Then a speaker hidden somewhere in the ceiling crackled to life.
Warren Sloan's voice filled the room.
“How touching.”
Marcus looked upward.
“Where are you?”
“Close enough.”
Victoria stepped forward.
“What do you want?”
“The drive.”
“You won't get it.”
“Then Elaine dies.”
Marcus searched the room.
“Why are you doing this?”
Warren laughed.
“Still asking the wrong question.”
A screen on the office wall suddenly turned on.
Security footage appeared.
Not from the hospital.
From Thorne Tower.
The video showed Victoria entering the family vault six months earlier.
Warren's voice returned.
“You want to know who started this?”
The footage jumped forward.
Another person entered the vault after Victoria left.
Marcus leaned closer.
His blood turned cold.
May you like
The man on the screen was his younger brother.
Julian Thorne.
