Chapter 18 - The Last Witness
Union Station was crowded enough to hide anyone and loud enough to bury a shout.
Maya arrived with police, Rebecca, Ethan, and Claire.
“Locker level,” Maya said.
They split into teams.
Claire caught Maya’s arm. “If we find my dad—”
“We will.”
“You don’t know that.”
Maya looked at her. “No. I don’t.”
Claire nodded once and let go.
They found Charles near Track 12, bleeding from a cut above his eyebrow but standing.
Two men were already in handcuffs nearby.
A transit officer held a black briefcase.
Charles saw his children and exhaled.
Claire ran to him.
For all the money, cruelty, secrets, and damage between them, she still said one word like a child.
“Dad.”
He held her.
Maya turned away.
Then Charles called her name.
He opened the briefcase.
Inside was the ledger.
Old paper. Handwritten codes. Account numbers. Initials.
Rebecca stared at it. “This can connect everything.”
Charles nodded. “It can also bury people who thought they were untouchable.”
Maya looked through the pages.
One name appeared repeatedly.
M. WHITMORE.
Another appeared in 2009.
H. REED.
And a third made her stop.
L. REED.
Her mother.
Maya looked at Charles. “Why is my mother in here?”
Charles’s face changed.
“She wasn’t just Elena’s lawyer.”
“What else?”
“She helped design the reporting structure that created the accounts.”
Maya felt sick.
“No.”
“She thought the system would protect confidential acquisitions. Margaret turned it into a theft machine.”
“So my mother built part of it.”
“Yes.”
“And then tried to expose it.”
“Yes.”
Maya closed the ledger.
For days she had wanted one clean villain and one clean truth.
There was no such thing.
Charles looked at her.
“There’s one more person who can confirm the ledger.”
“Elena?”
“No.”
“Who?”
Charles looked toward the station entrance.
“Your father.”
Maya followed his gaze.
Henry Reed was walking toward them.
May you like
Federal agents were walking beside him.
And his hands were cuffed.
