Chapter 17: The Mole Inside the Investigation
Chapter 17: The Mole Inside the Investigation
Daniel never took his eyes off Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Grant.
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She smiled politely as she gathered her briefcase.
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To everyone else in the room...
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She appeared calm.
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Professional.
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Confident.
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But Daniel had seen the small tattoo on the inside of her wrist.
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A perfect black circle.
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The exact same symbol Jonathan Cole had written about in his journal.
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The Black Circle.
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His pulse quickened.
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He couldn't accuse a federal prosecutor without proof.
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Not yet.
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Olivia turned toward Alexander.
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"Mr. Sterling."
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"I know today has been overwhelming."
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"But I promise we're going to find the truth."
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Alexander nodded politely.
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"Thank you."
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She smiled.
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"I'll be in touch."
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As she walked away, Daniel quietly stepped beside Catherine.
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"We have a problem."
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Catherine looked at him.
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"What is it?"
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Daniel kept his voice low.
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"Look at her right wrist."
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Catherine watched Olivia shake hands with one of the marshals.
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For only a brief second...
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The sleeve of Olivia's blazer slipped back.
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The tattoo appeared.
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Then disappeared again.
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Catherine's expression froze.
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"You saw it too."
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Daniel nodded.
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"The Black Circle."
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Olivia disappeared into the elevator.
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The doors closed.
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Daniel immediately pulled out his phone.
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"I'm checking her personnel file."
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Within minutes, he frowned.
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"This doesn't make sense."
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Alexander looked over.
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"What?"
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"Her résumé is perfect."
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"Top of her class at Harvard."
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"Federal clerkship."
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"Department of Justice Honors Program."
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"No disciplinary actions."
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"No unexplained gaps."
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Catherine quietly replied,
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"Exactly."
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Daniel looked confused.
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"What do you mean?"
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She folded her arms.
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"No one's life is perfect."
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"Especially not a prosecutor."
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Meanwhile.
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Olivia entered the underground parking garage.
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Her smile vanished the moment the elevator doors closed behind her.
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She climbed into a black sedan.
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A voice immediately came through the encrypted speaker.
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"Status."
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Olivia started the engine.
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"They opened the safety deposit box."
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"Did they find the journal?"
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"Yes."
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A brief silence followed.
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Then the voice asked,
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"What about Jonathan Cole's letter?"
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"They have that too."
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The voice became colder.
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"Then Phase Three begins now."
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Olivia nodded once.
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"Understood."
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The call ended.
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She drove away without looking back.
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Back inside the bank.
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Alexander carefully packed Jonathan's journal, the cassette tape, and the letters into an FBI evidence case.
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Emily noticed something unusual.
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"Wait."
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Everyone looked toward her.
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She pointed to the inside cover of the journal.
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"I don't remember seeing this earlier."
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A tiny piece of folded paper had been tucked into the leather binding.
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Alexander unfolded it carefully.
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Only one sentence had been written.
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Trust Catherine.
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Below it...
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Another sentence appeared in much smaller handwriting.
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Not everyone wearing a badge serves justice.
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Daniel looked up immediately.
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"Jonathan knew."
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Catherine slowly nodded.
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"He suspected government corruption decades ago."
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Sophia wandered toward one of the bank's large windows.
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She watched reporters gathered outside.
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"Daddy."
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Alexander joined her.
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"Yes?"
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"Why are all those people yelling?"
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"They want answers."
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Sophia tilted her head.
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"Then why don't they ask us?"
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Alexander smiled sadly.
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"Sometimes people prefer easy stories over true ones."
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Sophia thought quietly for a moment.
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"My teacher says stories should always have heroes."
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Alexander gently brushed her hair behind her ear.
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"They should."
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"But real life doesn't always tell us who the heroes are."
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Later that afternoon.
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The group returned to a secure FBI facility in Boston.
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Director Michael Hayes had arrived from Washington.
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He greeted Alexander personally.
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"I'm sorry about the media circus."
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Alexander nodded.
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"I've had worse days."
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Hayes almost smiled.
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Then his expression became serious.
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"I've reviewed Jonathan Cole's journal."
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Alexander waited.
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Hayes continued.
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"There are names inside I've never seen before."
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"Judges."
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"Senators."
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"Corporate executives."
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"If even half of it is true..."
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"...this may become the largest corruption investigation in modern American history."
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Catherine placed the old cassette tape onto the conference table.
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"We still haven't listened to this."
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Daniel frowned.
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"We'll need an old cassette player."
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Hayes nodded.
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"I already arranged one."
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Minutes later, an evidence technician connected an aging cassette recorder.
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Alexander carefully inserted the tape.
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A soft click echoed through the room.
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Static filled the speakers.
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Then...
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A man's voice.
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Jonathan Cole.
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Clear.
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Calm.
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"If you're hearing this..."
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"...someone finally found the truth."
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Alexander leaned forward.
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Jonathan continued.
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"The Black Circle isn't an organization."
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"It's a partnership."
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"Every generation selects new members."
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"They protect each other."
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"They eliminate anyone who becomes a threat."
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Emily felt chills run down her spine.
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Jonathan's voice grew quieter.
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"If Edward Sterling is dead..."
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"...it means they reached him before I could."
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Then...
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The recording suddenly changed.
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A second voice entered.
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A woman's voice.
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Everyone recognized it instantly.
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Victoria Sterling.
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She sounded younger.
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Confident.
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Mocking.
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"You should have accepted my offer, Jonathan."
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Jonathan answered calmly.
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"I'd rather die."
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Victoria laughed softly.
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"That's easily arranged."
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The tape abruptly ended.
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No explanation.
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No farewell.
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Only silence.
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The room remained motionless.
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The recording had captured Victoria threatening Jonathan years before he vanished.
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It was the first direct evidence linking her to his disappearance.
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Before anyone could speak...
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Director Hayes' secure phone rang.
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He answered immediately.
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His face drained of color.
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"What?"
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He listened for several seconds.
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Then slowly lowered the phone.
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Alexander looked at him.
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"What happened?"
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Hayes swallowed hard.
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"Victoria Sterling escaped federal custody."
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No one said a word.
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Then Hayes added one final sentence.
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"And she wasn't rescued."
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May you like
"The escape was authorized from inside the Department of Justice."
End of Chapter 17
