Chapter 6 - THE HOSTAGE IN THE BASEMENT
Maya stopped breathing.
“My brother is in Phoenix.”
Eleanor laughed softly through the phone.
“No. Gabriel is in the hotel basement.”
A video arrived.
Gabriel sat tied to a chair in a concrete room, his face bruised but his eyes open.
Beside him stood Dr. Reed holding a syringe.
“Don’t sign anything,” Maya said.
Arthur stared at the screen.
“If I refuse, they kill him.”
“If you sign, they own the hospitals, the research labs, and every patient record in the company.”
Julian looked at Maya.
“How did your brother get involved?”
“He works in cybersecurity. Three weeks ago, he found hidden payments from Sterling Medical to a shell company owned by Reed.”
Arthur understood.
“This was never only about my inheritance.”
“No,” Maya said. “They’ve been stealing from the company for years.”
Eleanor sent the location: SUBLEVEL B, ARCHIVE ROOM.
Arthur called police captain Lena Brooks, an old friend, and gave her a silent entry route.
Then he looked at Julian.
“You stay here.”
Julian took off his tuxedo jacket.
“I’ve stayed out of this family’s truth for twenty-two years. I’m done staying.”
They entered the service stairwell.
On Sublevel B, the lights flickered.
The archive-room door stood open.
Inside, Gabriel’s chair was empty.
Fresh blood marked the floor.
On the wall, Eleanor had written a message in red lipstick.
May you like
ONE OF YOU ALREADY WORKS FOR ME.
Behind them, a gun clicked.
