Chapter 6 - THE FAKE DRIVE
Graham smiled and slid the flash drive into his pocket.
Then Serena slapped him.
The sound cracked through the garage.
“You always thought I was stupid,” she said.
Graham’s smile vanished.
Serena backed toward Julian.
“The real drive is under the office keyboard.”
Julian stared at her.
She had handed Graham an empty copy.
Graham lunged for her.
Julian stepped between them.
Security guards rushed into the garage, but Graham’s driver accelerated the SUV directly toward the exit.
Graham jumped inside.
The vehicle smashed through the lowering gate and disappeared into traffic.
Serena leaned against a pillar, shaking.
Julian did not comfort her.
“You still set up the dinner.”
“I know.”
“You still tried to destroy a stranger because you thought he couldn’t afford your approval.”
“I know.”
“Then help repair what you helped break.”
Back upstairs, the real flash drive revealed a list of shell companies, bribed employees, and media contacts.
One name appeared repeatedly.
Rachel Cross.
Julian called his sister.
No answer.
He called again.
A detective answered.
“Mr. Cross?”
“Yes.”
“This is Detective Lena Ortiz with Chicago Police. Your sister was found unconscious in her apartment twenty minutes ago.”
Julian gripped the desk.
“Is she alive?”
“She’s being transported.”
“What happened?”
“We found an empty medication bottle and a typed confession beside her.”
Julian closed his eyes.
Rachel did not take sleeping pills.
She hated them after their father died from an accidental overdose.
Ortiz continued.
“The confession says she transferred the money and falsified your company’s accounts.”
“That confession is fake.”
“How can you know?”
“Because my sister has written every personal note in green ink since she was twelve.”
Julian looked at the photograph the detective had sent.
The confession was signed in black.
Then he noticed something else on Rachel’s coffee table.
A restaurant matchbook.
Ember House.
May you like
Inside it, written in green ink, were four words.
PIKE KNOWS THE BASEMENT CODE.
