Chapter 15 - Emily’s Insurance Policy
Emily’s face appeared on the laptop screen.
The recording had been made more than a year earlier.
She looked exhausted.
Terrified.
But determined.
“My name is Emily Ross.”
Marr rushed toward the laptop.
Julian grabbed his ankle.
Marr fell.
The gun slid across the floor.
Vanessa kicked it under the desk.
Marcus lunged toward Claire.
She slammed the metal desk chair into his knees.
He collapsed.
The recording continued.
“I worked for Hawthorne Hospitality for nine years.”
Marr shouted, “Turn it off.”
Nobody listened.
“I discovered fraudulent transfers authorized through cloned corporate accounts.”
Julian and Marr struggled on the floor.
Vanessa grabbed the gun.
Her hands trembled.
“Stop moving.”
Marcus stared at her.
“You won’t shoot.”
Vanessa aimed at the floor near his feet.
“I am getting extremely tired of men telling me what I won’t do.”
He stopped.
Emily continued.
“The operation was supervised by Richard Hawthorne.”
Claire felt her chest tighten.
“But Richard did not create it.”
Everyone went still.
“The original architect was Conrad Hawthorne.”
Vanessa lowered the gun slightly.
“No.”
Emily’s recorded voice continued.
“Richard handled transactions.”
“Stephen Marr handled legal identities.”
“Julian Mercer designed offshore movement systems.”
“But Conrad Hawthorne authorized the first network twenty-one years ago.”
Vanessa’s face crumbled.
Claire remembered Conrad’s shock.
His denials.
His perfect timing.
Maybe it had all been performance.
The recording continued.
“If I disappear, copies of my records will remain hidden.”
“Accessing this computer sends an encrypted archive to six news organizations, three federal agencies, and one attorney.”
Marr went completely pale.
Claire understood the message on the screen.
UPLOAD COMPLETE.
The truth was already leaving the building.
Marr shoved Julian away and ran.
He reached the corridor.
A tactical officer appeared.
“Police.”
Marr fired a second weapon hidden beneath his jacket.
The hallway exploded with gunfire.
Claire dropped.
Vanessa screamed.
Julian covered Claire with his body.
Officers returned fire.
Marr stumbled backward.
His weapon fell.
He collapsed against the wall.
Alive.
Wounded.
Marcus raised both hands.
The corridor filled with police.
Cole rushed into Room 417.
“Everybody okay?”
Claire pushed Julian away and stood.
“Yes.”
Vanessa did not answer.
She stared at Emily’s frozen image on the laptop.
Her father’s name remained visible on the screen.
Claire touched her shoulder.
Vanessa whispered, “He knew everything.”
Before Claire could answer, Cole’s radio crackled.
His face changed.
May you like
He looked at Vanessa.
“Conrad is gone.”
