Chapter 17 - The Man With Everything
Charles walked across the flooded floor in shoes that cost more than Mara's monthly rent. He looked at Hannah holding Lily, at Olivia's bruised face, at his son standing over Reed.
"I asked for one thing," he said. "A quiet solution."
"You killed Daniel," Ethan replied.
Charles's expression hardened. "Daniel died because he believed justice would protect him. I am trying to protect you from the same mistake."
Hannah pulled Lily closer. "You don't get to say his name."
"I loved my son."
"You loved owning him," Ethan said.
Charles's face flushed. It was the first unguarded emotion Ethan had seen in him since childhood. "You think the world is run by good men? It is run by people who can keep hospitals open when everyone else walks away."
"And what did you tell those people when they asked for children?" Olivia said.
Charles looked away. That was enough.
Mara slowly raised her phone. A red recording icon glowed. Charles noticed and lunged for it, but Ethan blocked his path.
"You can break the phone," Mara said. "It's already live."
A small camera inside Tessa Ward's remote equipment had been streaming their conversation to the newsroom. Tessa's editor, watching from across the city, had called state police and sent the feed to every national desk he knew.
Charles stared at the screen. "You have no idea what you've done."
"We told people the truth," Ethan answered.
Sirens approached from the shoreline. Real officers, called by the public broadcast, were closing in. The corrupt patrolmen glanced at one another and fled toward the boat. Reed followed, leaving Charles alone.
He turned toward Ethan with a strange sadness. "If they arrest me, they will release the last trial file. Your wife is in it."
Olivia stiffened. "What file?"
May you like
Charles reached into his coat and produced an envelope marked OLIVIA HART—SUBJECT 004.
"Ask her," he said, "what happened the night your brother died.
