Chapter 12 - Catherine’s Last Trap
The underwater archive wasn't underwater.
Not exactly.
It sat beneath an old boathouse in a reinforced basement extending below the lake level.
Mercer arrived with Chloe.
We followed at a distance.
Charlotte knew the entrance code.
That worried me.
She explained Catherine gave it to her years earlier.
Claire stared at her sister.
“How much did Catherine trust you?”
Charlotte's answer surprised us.
“She wanted me to replace her.”
Replace her in the network.
Not in my marriage.
Good clarification.
Inside, Mercer forced Chloe to stand beside the biometric scanner.
The system recognized her.
The door opened.
Catherine had deliberately registered Michael's children.
Mercer laughed.
Then every light activated.
A recorded voice filled the room.
Catherine.
“Richard.”
Mercer froze.
“If you're hearing this, you finally became desperate enough to use one of the children.”
His face changed.
Catherine had predicted him.
“The archive you've opened isn't the evidence.”
Screens activated.
Mercer's own recordings appeared.
Payments.
Threats.
Edited interviews.
Blackmail.
Everything automatically transmitted to multiple secure recipients the moment the door opened using a child's biometric signature.
Mercer had triggered his own exposure.
He grabbed Chloe.
“Turn it off!”
She started crying.
I stepped from the shadows.
“Let her go.”
He aimed at me.
“You.”
“Yes.”
“Your wife destroyed everything.”
“No.”
I looked toward Chloe.
“You did.”
His hand shook.
Good.
Fear makes arrogant men careless.
Charlotte appeared behind him.
“Richard.”
He turned.
Chloe pulled free.
Claire caught her.
My guards moved.
Mercer was finished.
Then another voice came from the stairs.
“Not quite.”
Raymond.
He carried Catherine's wooden box.
“Uncle.”
“Alexander.”
“Why?”
He looked exhausted.
“Because those files destroy more than Mercer.”
“They expose you.”
“They expose everyone.”
“Yes.”
“My son.”
Adrian.
Raymond believed Adrian was alive.
Somewhere inside the network.
If the archive became public, Adrian could be implicated.
“You're protecting him.”
“I've already lost one child.”
“Then don't become the reason someone else loses theirs.”
He looked at Chloe.
Something broke.
Slowly, Raymond lowered his weapon.
Then the archive screen changed.
New recording.
Catherine again.
“Raymond, if you're there too…”
He froze.
I almost laughed.
My wife had known all of us too well.
“Adrian is alive.”
Raymond staggered.
Charlotte gasped.
Catherine continued.
“But Richard Mercer doesn't know where he is.”
Mercer looked confused.
Charlotte whispered:
“I do.”
Everyone turned.
The five-year-old boy.
The child she had claimed was hers.
Charlotte shook her head.
“Adrian brought him to me.”
“Whose child is he?”
“Adrian's.”
“Where's Adrian?”
Charlotte began crying.
“He made me promise.”
Raymond stepped closer.
“Where is my son?”
She looked at him.
“Inside the Hayes organization.”
Silence.
“Under another name.”
Raymond's breathing changed.
“Who?”
Charlotte looked directly at one of my guards.
A man who had protected Ethan for six years.
Daniel Ross.
My son's closest security officer.
The guard who was currently alone with Ethan at my mansion.
Raymond whispered:
“Adrian?”
Charlotte nodded.
My phone rang.
Ethan.
I answered instantly.
But it wasn't Ethan's voice.
Daniel Ross—Adrian Hayes—spoke.
“Alexander, don't come home.”
“Where's my son?”
“With me.”
“If you hurt him—”
“I'm trying to save him.”
“From whom?”
Then a familiar female voice spoke behind Adrian.
Dr. Miriam Vale.
I thought she was in police custody.
She laughed softly.
May you like
“From you, Alexander.”
The call ended.
