Chapter 17 - The Investigator's Second Phone
"Eli," I said, "put that phone on the hood of the car."
He looked at me, then at Jo. "What?"
"The other phone. Slowly."
Mateo backed away from him. Adrian moved between Eli and the street.
Eli raised his hands. "I can explain."
"Then start with why Conrad just said the man behind Pelican Harbor is standing here."
"Conrad says a lot of things. Most of them are lies."
"That wasn't an answer."
Jo stepped closer. "I photographed your investigator credentials. You were suspended. What I didn't mention is that I called the court. They said you left before the suspension, right after an internal audit began."
Eli's face changed. He stopped trying to look reassuring.
"You don't understand the scale," he said. "Conrad has been moving money through charities for decades. I built the payment network so we could track it."
"We?" Adrian asked.
"A private accountability group. People who wanted evidence."
"And you accidentally became rich?" Jo asked.
Eli ignored her. "Once the money lands, it's traceable. If you stop it now, the case collapses."
Mateo stared at him. "You told me to stay in that building until I copied the client list. I got caught because of you."
"I didn't know they'd lock you up."
"You knew enough."
Eli took one step toward the driver's door. Adrian blocked him. The distant sirens grew louder.
"You kidnapped my mother?" I asked.
"No. Vanessa did that. I warned Ruth, and she walked into the trap anyway."
"Why?"
"Because your mother was there."
His hand moved toward his coat. Mateo grabbed his elbow. Eli twisted free, but the second phone dropped onto the asphalt. Jo kicked it beneath the van.
Adrian pinned Eli against the hood. "Stop fighting."
"You have no idea what your own father did!" Eli shouted. "Thomas Vale sold the first set of records to Conrad and then ran when the children started disappearing. You think he's your missing hero?"
Adrian's grip loosened. For one ugly second, the truth hurt him more than the struggle.
Eli shoved him backward and ran toward the warehouse. A police cruiser rounded the corner. Eli darted through the open loading bay before the officer could stop him.
A second cruiser pulled up. The officer ordered us back. Then a blast of smoke burst from the warehouse's upper windows.
May you like
Vanessa came running out, coughing.
"My father is inside!" she screamed. "And he locked your mother in with him!"
