Chapter 12 - The Exchange
Julian wanted to go alone.
Everyone told him that was stupid.
He went anyway.
At 11:47 a.m., he entered an abandoned train depot outside Albany with a decoy flash drive in his pocket and a microphone taped beneath his shirt.
Claire’s team waited two blocks away.
Nolan had contacted federal investigators.
Charles stayed with Leo and Maya.
Eleanor stood beneath the old departure board.
Rebecca and the security officer were nowhere in sight.
“You look terrible,” Eleanor said.
“You pushed my son.”
“And yet you came.”
“Where are they?”
“Safe for now.”
Julian held up the drive.
Eleanor smiled. “You always did confuse love with surrender.”
“You married me to get close to Leo’s trust.”
“I married you because Grant Cross told me that if I didn’t, he would send me to prison for things he ordered me to do.”
“So you chose my family instead.”
“I chose survival.”
“You shoved a child down stairs.”
“I panicked.”
“You forged documents.”
“I panicked for two years?”
Her eyes hardened.
Julian stepped closer. “Did you kill Amelia?”
Eleanor looked away.
“Answer me.”
“No.”
“Did you know someone would?”
A pause.
That was enough.
Julian’s voice broke. “You knew.”
“I knew Grant wanted her stopped.”
“And you said nothing.”
“I was twenty-nine and terrified.”
“You were old enough to know what murder meant.”
Eleanor held out her hand. “The drive.”
“First Rebecca.”
A door opened behind Julian.
Grant Cross walked in.
He was tall, gray-haired, and smiling.
“Still negotiating with people who have no leverage, Eleanor?”
Her face drained.
“You said you weren’t coming.”
Grant ignored her.
He looked at Julian.
“You have my family’s property.”
“Leo isn’t property.”
Grant smiled. “No. He’s worse. He’s legal standing.”
Julian understood.
The trust audit didn’t just reveal theft.
It gave Leo the right to sue.
Grant extended his hand.
“Drive.”
Then gunfire erupted outside.
Eleanor ducked.
Grant’s men turned toward the doors.
Julian ran behind a concrete pillar.
His earpiece crackled with Claire’s voice.
“Julian, get out. We have a second problem.”
May you like
“What?”
“Leo is missing.”
