Chapter 14 - Charles Howard’s Final Move
The shooting stopped.
Ruiz’s team surrounded the tree line.
A black SUV accelerated away from a hidden access road.
Charles had escaped again.
Inside the cottage, Daniel remained on the floor with the ledger.
Ruiz handcuffed him.
Daniel did not resist.
He looked toward Nathan.
“You think arresting me fixes anything?”
“No.”
Nathan replied.
“But it’s a start.”
Daniel laughed.
“You still don’t understand Charles.”
Rebecca approached.
“I understand him better than you.”
Daniel looked at her.
Rebecca continued.
“He never intended to share control.”
“He used Vanessa’s grief.”
“He used your resentment.”
“He used Pike’s greed.”
“And now he has nothing left.”
Daniel smiled.
“He has Elena.”
Nathan stopped breathing.
“What?”
Daniel’s expression changed.
He realized he had revealed too much.
Nathan grabbed his shirt.
“What did you say?”
Ruiz pulled Nathan away.
“Explain.”
Daniel looked toward the floor.
“Charles knew Elena was at the Vermont medical center.”
Nathan’s face went white.
Ruiz immediately called the security detail.
No response.
He called again.
Nothing.
Elena’s room was empty.
A nurse had found a security officer unconscious in a stairwell.
Nathan felt panic unlike anything he had ever known.
Ruiz put the phone on speaker when an incoming call arrived.
Charles’s voice filled the room.
“Nathan.”
“Where is my wife?”
“Safe.”
“If you hurt her—”
“You’ve been saying that sentence since college.”
Charles sounded amused.
“It never helped Rebecca either.”
Nathan clenched his fists.
“What do you want?”
“The ledger.”
Ruiz mouthed for him to continue.
Nathan asked.
“Where?”
Charles provided coordinates.
An abandoned hydroelectric facility near the Canadian border.
“Bring Rebecca.”
Rebecca stiffened.
“And the ledger.”
Ruiz shook his head silently.
Charles continued.
“No police.”
Nathan laughed bitterly.
“You know Detective Ruiz is standing beside me.”
“Of course.”
“Tell him he can come.”
Ruiz frowned.
Charles lowered his voice.
“I want witnesses.”
The call ended.
Rebecca stared at Nathan.
“That’s not a ransom exchange.”
Ruiz nodded.
“He’s planning an ending.”
At the facility, Elena sat tied to a steel chair.
Charles stood nearby.
He was in his early sixties.
Silver-haired.
Elegant.
Calm.
He poured himself coffee.
Elena studied him.
“You know they’re coming.”
“That’s the point.”
“You’re going to kill everyone?”
Charles smiled.
“No.”
“Murder is messy.”
“Stories are cleaner.”
Elena looked at the camera mounted across the room.
Charles followed her gaze.
“Very good.”
He approached her.
“Tonight the Howard family confesses.”
“To what?”
“Everything.”
Elena understood.
“You’re going to force them to take responsibility.”
Charles smiled.
“And then I disappear.”
Elena looked at him.
“You made one mistake.”
“What?”
“You think everyone still wants to protect the Howard name.”
Charles’s smile faded.
Elena leaned forward as far as the restraints allowed.
“Nathan doesn’t.”
“Rebecca doesn’t.”
May you like
“And neither do I.”
For the first time, Charles looked uncertain.
