Chapter 8 - Beneath the LakeDaniel’s team secured the rear of the cottage.
The attackers outside suddenly stopped firing.
That frightened Adrian more than the shots.
Vincent wanted him alive.
He wanted Adrian to reach the boathouse.
Marcus stood beside the table.
“This is exactly what he planned.”
Adrian put the brass key into his pocket.
“Claire is down there.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I know he wants me to believe she is.”
“That should be enough to stop you.”
Adrian shook his head.
“I’m done letting other people decide what I’m allowed to know.”
Marcus stared at him.
For the first time, something like respect appeared in his eyes.
“You really are Eleanor’s son.”
Adrian ignored him.
He contacted Daniel.
“We’re moving to the boathouse.”
Daniel protested immediately.
“Bad idea.”
“Cover the shore.”
“Adrian—”
“Do it.”
Margaret came downstairs.
“Sophie stays with me.”
Adrian looked at her.
“If anything happens—”
“I know.”
He crouched beside Sophie.
She held the bunny against her chest.
“Are you going to find Mommy?”
“Yes.”
“You promise?”
Adrian hesitated.
He did not make promises he could not control.
“I promise I won’t stop looking.”
Sophie seemed satisfied.
She wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Bring her back.”
Adrian stood.
“I will.”
He and Marcus left through the rear door.
Cold lake wind hit them.
Daniel and two officers moved through the trees parallel to the shoreline.
The boathouse stood about one hundred yards away.
No movement.
Adrian reached the entrance.
The door opened automatically.
Inside was an old wooden dock.
Water moved beneath the floorboards.
At the far end was a steel hatch Adrian had never seen.
A blackbird symbol was engraved into it.
Marcus pointed.
“The key.”
Adrian inserted the brass key.
The hatch opened.
A narrow staircase descended beneath the lake.
Cold air rose from below.
They went down.
The staircase ended inside a concrete chamber.
An old biometric scanner illuminated.
ADRIAN BLACKWOOD.
IDENTITY REQUIRED.
Adrian placed his hand against the scanner.
It rejected him.
Marcus frowned.
“Try again.”
Adrian did.
Rejected.
A voice came through a speaker.
Vincent.
“You always were impatient.”
Adrian looked toward the ceiling.
“Show yourself.”
“All in good time.”
The scanner changed.
SECOND AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED.
Marcus stepped forward.
“No.”
Adrian looked at him.
“You knew.”
Marcus backed away.
“The system needs two Blackwoods.”
“You said direct heir.”
“I lied.”
Adrian’s hand tightened.
“Why?”
“Because if you knew you needed me, you would have wondered why Vincent wanted me here.”
Adrian stared at him.
“What happens if we open it?”
Marcus looked at the door.
“We release everything.”
“To whom?”
“Everyone.”
Adrian understood.
“The archive uploads automatically.”
Marcus nodded.
“Government agencies.”
“News organizations.”
“Competitors.”
“Courts.”
“Eleanor designed it as a dead-man system.”
“Then why hasn’t Vincent destroyed it?”
“He can’t access it without two family members.”
Adrian looked at Marcus.
“That’s why you faked your death.”
“Partly.”
“You kept him from opening this.”
“For eighteen years.”
Adrian placed his palm back on the scanner.
“Then maybe it’s time.”
Marcus grabbed his wrist.
“No.”
“You said the archive exposes the truth.”
“It exposes everyone.”
“That sounds useful.”
“It also includes innocent people.”
“Employees.”
“Families.”
“People who were manipulated into doing things they regret.”
Adrian looked toward the locked vault.
“My mother died protecting it.”
“Your mother died trying to control it.”
A monitor turned on.
Claire appeared.
She sat inside another chamber.
Beside her stood Thomas Vale.
Adrian immediately stepped forward.
“Claire.”
She looked toward the camera.
“Adrian?”
Thomas moved behind her.
He looked tired.
Not threatening.
“Thomas.”
Adrian’s voice hardened.
Thomas looked directly into the camera.
“Vincent is lying to all of us.”
Claire spoke quickly.
“Adrian, don’t open the vault.”
Vincent’s voice interrupted.
“She doesn’t understand.”
Thomas shouted toward the ceiling.
“Stop hiding.”
A second camera activated.
Vincent appeared in another room.
He wore a dark suit.
He looked older than Adrian remembered, but his posture remained straight.
“Hello, son.”
Adrian stared.
“You’re really alive.”
“Yes.”
“Why fake your death?”
Vincent smiled faintly.
“Because death is the best retirement plan a hated man can buy.”
Adrian’s disgust showed.
“You took Claire.”
Vincent shook his head.
“Thomas took Claire.”
Thomas hit the wall.
“I moved her because your men were coming.”
Vincent ignored him.
“Marcus brought you here.”
Marcus shouted.
“Because you threatened the child.”
Vincent smiled.
“Everyone has reasons.”
Adrian looked between the screens.
“Who killed my mother?”
Silence.
Vincent’s smile vanished.
Claire leaned toward her camera.
“That answer is inside the vault.”
Adrian looked at the scanner.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Don’t.”
Adrian faced him.
“If the truth is inside, we open it.”
Marcus lowered his voice.
“You don’t understand what Eleanor did.”
“Then tell me.”
Marcus looked toward Vincent’s screen.
Vincent smiled again.
“Yes, Marcus.”
“Tell him.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
Then he said the words nobody expected.
“Eleanor didn’t create the contingency archive.”
Adrian stared.
“Who did?”
Marcus looked at Vincent.
“Claire’s mother.”
“Rachel Carter built the whole thing.”
Claire stood suddenly on the monitor.
Thomas looked stunned.
Even Vincent’s expression changed.
May you like
Marcus continued.
“And Eleanor died because she tried to steal it.”
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