“Like my father.”
Richard smiled sadly.
“She does.”
The door opened.
Christine Marsh entered.
Emma recognized her as the federal prosecutor from the building's legal department.
Richard said:
“Christine is the only person I've trusted with this.”
Christine placed a folder on the table.
“We have reason to believe Mercer is preparing to move.”
“Where?”
“Seattle.”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
Emma looked at Richard.
“What do you want me to do?”
Christine answered.
“Nothing.”
Emma frowned.
“You don't understand.”
“I understand exactly.”
“My father died because people waited.”
Christine looked at her.
“You aren't a federal agent.”
“No.”
“You aren't trained.”
“No.”
“You aren't armed.”
Emma shook her head.
“But I have something Mercer wants.”
Christine went silent.
Emma held up the flash drive.
“He knows I found it.”
Richard stared at her.
“Emma, no.”
“You said my father was brave.”
“He was.”
“Then stop asking me to be afraid.”
Richard looked away.
For the first time, Emma saw tears in the billionaire's eyes.
“I've already lost one daughter,” he whispered.
Emma froze.
“You mean Olivia?”
“Yes.”
“And you almost lost me this morning.”
“Yes.”
Emma stepped closer.
“Then help me bring her home.”
Richard nodded.
And the plan began.
The Trap
The meeting was arranged for midnight.
An abandoned warehouse near the river.
Emma would arrive alone.
She would carry the flash drive.
Federal agents would monitor from a distance.
Richard would remain at the hospital.
Christine would coordinate the operation.
Everything was carefully planned.
Except one thing.
Mercer wasn't stupid.
At 11:53 p.m., Emma entered the warehouse.
Rain fell through holes in the roof.
The building smelled of rust and oil.
She carried a small bag.
Inside was a fake flash drive.
The real evidence was with federal investigators.
A voice echoed through the darkness.
“You came.”
Emma stopped.
Dale Mercer stepped into the light.
He was in his sixties.
Gray hair.
Elegant coat.
Calm expression.
He looked like a university professor.
Not a criminal.
Not a murderer.
That was what made him frightening.
“You killed my father.”
Mercer smiled faintly.
“Your father was ambitious.”
“He was protecting people.”
“He was protecting secrets.”
“Your secrets.”
Mercer took another step.
“You have no idea what your father was involved in.”
Emma stared at him.
“I know enough.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“You know the story Richard Weston wanted you to hear.”
Emma's stomach tightened.
“What does that mean?”
Mercer looked at her.
“Ask him who your father was working for before he worked for Richard.”
Emma said nothing.
Mercer smiled.
“You've been lied to by everyone.”
Then he raised his hand.
Two men emerged behind Emma.
She turned.
Her heart jumped.
She was surrounded.
Mercer extended his hand.
“The drive.”
Emma slowly removed it.
“You killed Michael for this?”
“I killed Michael because he refused to understand the value of silence.”
“You murdered him.”
“I eliminated a problem.”
Emma's hands tightened.
Mercer took the drive.
Then he looked at her.
“Your mother should have kept you hidden.”
Emma smiled.
Mercer frowned.
“What?”
“You made another mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“You talk too much.”
A loud voice came from the darkness.
“Federal agents! Don't move!”
Lights flooded the warehouse.
Men in tactical gear moved in.
Mercer's smile disappeared.
The two guards reached for weapons.
They were tackled before they could draw.
Mercer raised his hands.
But he wasn't finished.
He looked directly at Emma.
“You think this ends here?”
Emma said nothing.
Mercer leaned closer as agents restrained him.
“Ask Richard why Michael never told him the truth.”
Then he was pulled away.
Emma stood frozen.
Christine approached.
“You okay?”
Emma nodded.
But her mind was racing.
“What did he mean?”
Christine's expression was serious.
“We need to talk.”
They returned to the federal office.
Christine opened the real evidence file.
“We found something on the drive.”
“What?”
“Your father wasn't simply collecting evidence.”
Emma waited.
“He was building a case.”
“Against Mercer?”
“Yes.”
“But also against someone else.”
“Who?”
Christine looked at her.
“Richard Weston.”
Emma felt the floor disappear beneath her.
“No.”
“Your father suspected Richard was involved.”
“That's impossible.”
“We don't know whether he was.”
Christine placed another document on the table.
“It gets worse.”
Emma looked down.
The document contained bank transfers.
Richard Weston had made payments.
Large payments.
To a company controlled by Mercer.
Emma stared.
“Why?”
“We don't know.”
“Then find out.”
“We're trying.”
Emma stood.
“I want to see Richard.”
Christine hesitated.
“He's still in the hospital.”
“I don't care.”
When Emma entered Richard's room, he immediately knew.
She placed the documents on his bed.
“What is this?”
Richard stared.
Then closed his eyes.
“Emma.”
“Tell me the truth.”
He was silent.
“Did you pay Mercer?”
“Yes.”
Emma's heart shattered.
“Why?”
Richard took a long breath.
“Because he had Olivia.”
Emma stopped.
“What?”
“He threatened to kill her.”
Richard looked at the floor.
“I paid him to keep her alive.”
Emma whispered:
“You funded him.”
“I thought I could save her.”