Chapter 11: The Woman Behind Cross
Colonel Margaret Price had retired eleven years earlier.
According to the official biography Nolan found, she had spent most of her career in logistics oversight.
The dates lined up perfectly.
She had supervised contracting operations when my father died.
And Nathan Cross had served under her.
Reed stared at the screen.
"So Cross wasn't running this back then.""
"No," Brooks said.
"Price was.""
Special Agent Mercer entered carrying another folder.
"We've confirmed part of Miller's father's recording.""
I stood.
"What part?""
"Meridian Logistics was investigated fourteen years ago.""
"Why wasn't anyone charged?""
"The investigation was closed for insufficient evidence.""
Brooks asked, "Who closed it?""
Mercer placed the document on the table.
Margaret Price.
My stomach twisted.
"Where is she now?""
"Retired. Lives about forty miles from here.""
Reed immediately said, "We need to talk to her.""
Mercer shook his head.
"We need a warrant strategy and surveillance first.""
"My father died.""
"I understand.""
"No. You understand a file.""
The words came out harder than I intended.
Mercer didn't react.
"You're right. Which is why I won't give the people responsible another opportunity to destroy evidence.""
I hated that he made sense.
Then his phone rang.
He listened.
His expression changed.
"Where?""
A pause.
"We're coming.""
He hung up.
"They found Keller.""
Brooks stood.
"Alive?""
"Yes.""
Major Keller had been abandoned inside an empty maintenance building six miles from base.
He was bruised, dehydrated, and furious.
But alive.
When we entered his hospital room, he stared at me.
"You found the storage unit.""
"Yes.""
"Then you found Cross.""
"We found more than Cross.""
I placed a printed photograph of Margaret Price on his bedside table.
Keller's face changed instantly.
"Where did you get that?""
"My father.""
He looked at me.
"James Miller?""
I felt ice move through my chest.
"You knew.""
Keller closed his eyes.
"I learned two months ago.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because that's when I realized who you were.""
"That doesn't answer me.""
"I was trying to keep you alive.""
I laughed bitterly.
"By letting Hale frame me?""
"No.""
He pushed himself upright.
"Hale wasn't supposed to touch you.""
"Stop saying that like it helps.""
Keller flinched.
Brooks stepped forward.
"Tell us about Margaret Price.""
He looked toward Mercer.
"You federal?""
"Yes.""
"Then record everything.""
Mercer activated a recorder.
Keller spoke for nearly forty minutes.
Price had created the system years earlier.
Government contracts gave certain commercial shipments priority movement.
She and Cross learned how to manipulate classifications, duplicate manifests, and redirect expensive equipment.
Victor handled civilian logistics.
Cross protected military-side paperwork.
Keller became useful later.
"I approved movements," he said.
"Then they had leverage over me.""
Brooks asked, "Raymond?""
"He found inconsistencies.""
"What happened to him?""
Keller looked sick.
"Cross told me Raymond had an accident.""
"You believed him?""
"At first.""
"And later?""
"I found photographs.""
My hands clenched.
"What photographs?""
"Hale's car near Raymond's vehicle.""
"We found those.""
Keller shook his head.
"Not those.""
He looked at Mercer.
"Photos taken after the crash.""
Silence.
"Where are they?""
"Different location.""
Reed exhaled angrily.
"Another treasure hunt?""
"I separated everything. If one cache was found, the others survived.""
Brooks asked, "Where?""
Keller looked at me.
"Your father taught Raymond that trick.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
"Raymond found James Miller's old notes years ago. That's where he learned to duplicate evidence.""
My father had reached forward through fourteen years without knowing it.
"Where is the second cache?""
Keller gave Mercer an address.
A rural property.
An abandoned repair garage.
Mercer sent agents immediately.
Then Keller grabbed my wrist.
"There's something else.""
I pulled free.
"What?""
"Price knows about you.""
"We know.""
"No.""
His eyes filled with fear.
"You don't understand.""
He lowered his voice.
"Your father didn't just hide evidence.""
"What else?""
"He hid money.""
I stared at him.
"What money?""
"An account created from funds he traced out of their network. He moved it so they couldn't recover it.""
"Where?""
"I don't know.""
"Then why does it matter?""
"Because they think you do.""
My mouth went dry.
That explained the surveillance.
The apartment.
The pressure.
Maybe even Victor planting the drive.
Brooks asked, "How much?""
Keller swallowed.
"According to Raymond?""
He looked at me.
"Almost three million dollars.""
Before I could answer, Mercer received a message.
He read it.
Then looked at Keller.
"The agents reached the garage.""
Keller waited.
"And?""
Mercer's expression darkened.
"It's empty.""
Keller shook his head.
"Impossible.""
"Not entirely.""
Mercer held up his phone.
"There was one thing left.""
A photograph.
Freshly printed.
It showed my mother and me entering the federal building earlier that day.
May you like
Written beneath it:
SARAH HAS UNTIL MIDNIGHT.
