Chapter 17 - Blackwood Tower
Graham reached Blackwood Tower before police locked it down.
He used an old executive access card that should have been dead.
By the time Richard, Mara, and Owen arrived, the elevators were frozen and smoke alarms were flashing on the forty-third floor.
“He’s going to burn another server,” Richard said.
Mara shook her head. “Not if we get there first.”
They climbed six flights from the highest working elevator.
Anna stayed in the lobby with Leo and Mrs. Bell under police protection.
She hated waiting.
She hated not knowing.
On the forty-third floor, Graham had barricaded himself in the records suite.
He dumped files onto the carpet and poured accelerant over them.
Owen accessed the emergency intercom.
“Graham, the server already mirrored off-site.”
Silence.
Then Graham answered.
“You’re lying.”
“Try me.”
Richard took the microphone.
“Claire beat you two years ago. You just didn’t know it.”
A crash sounded behind the door.
Graham shouted, “She ruined everything!”
“No. You did.”
“You think Vanessa planned this? She couldn’t plan lunch without changing her mind. Claire pushed us into a corner.”
Mara’s eyes sharpened.
“Keep him talking.”
Richard did.
“What did Claire do?”
“She threatened prison.”
“So you killed her?”
“I fixed a problem.”
The words went over the intercom.
Recorded by police.
Graham realized too late.
He started the fire.
Sprinklers activated immediately this time.
The records suite filled with water.
Graham tried to escape through a maintenance corridor and ran directly into the tactical team.
He was arrested soaked, furious, and still screaming that Claire had forced his hand.
Downstairs, Anna saw Mara’s text first.
IN CUSTODY.
She hugged Leo so tightly he squeaked.
“Too much, Nana.”
She laughed and cried at the same time. “Sorry.”
Richard came down twenty minutes later.
Leo ran to him.
For the first time in days, Richard smiled without fear behind it.
Then Mara approached.
“There’s one more problem.”
Richard’s smile vanished.
“What now?”
“Vanessa’s attorney filed an emergency motion claiming her confession was coerced and that the staircase footage never shows the actual push.”
Anna felt disbelief rise.
“She’s still fighting?”
“She has nothing left to lose.”
Richard looked at Owen. “Can the deleted three minutes be recovered?”
Owen hesitated.
“Maybe not from the server.”
“Then from where?”
Owen looked at Leo.
“From the camera itself.”
The staircase camera had an internal emergency buffer.
May you like
A tiny memory chip.
One Vanessa never knew existed.
