Chapter 10: The Man Behind Richard
The red emergency light pulsed against the tunnel walls.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then we heard engines above us.
Daniel looked toward the exit.
“They're here.””
Margaret grabbed my arm.
“We have to move.””
I looked at Richard.
He hadn't moved.
“Who are they?””
He stared at the floor.
“People I should have stopped years ago.””
“Names.””
He swallowed.
“Victor Hale.””
The name meant nothing to me.
Daniel's expression changed.
“You said he was dead.””
“I thought he was.””
Margaret shook her head.
“He never died.””
I looked between them.
“Who is Victor Hale?””
Daniel answered.
“Your father's former chief financial officer.””
I remembered the name.
Victor Hale had vanished from Thorne Meridian records after a massive internal audit shortly before my father's death.
“He disappeared,” I said.
“He was fired,” Margaret replied.
Daniel shook his head.
“Not fired. Exposed.””
He turned toward Richard.
“And your husband helped him escape.””
Richard closed his eyes.
“I had no choice.””
I stepped toward him.
“You always have a choice.””
He looked at me.
“I was twenty-nine when your father discovered what we'd done. Victor threatened to destroy my life.””
“You could have told me.””
“I was afraid you'd leave.””
I laughed bitterly.
“So you chose to build forty-six years of lies instead.””
Richard looked down.
“I loved you.””
Daniel interrupted.
“No. You loved what Eleanor represented.””
Richard snapped, “You don't know anything about us.””
“I know she paid your debts.””
I turned toward Richard.
“What debts?””
Daniel's eyes stayed on me.
“The thirty-eight million wasn't your husband's only debt.””
My stomach tightened.
“What else?””
“Your husband owed Victor Hale seventeen million dollars.””
Richard's face went gray.
I stared at him.
“Seventeen?””
He nodded.
“When?””
“Over the last five years.””
“For what?””
Richard couldn't answer.
Daniel did.
“To keep Victor silent.””
I felt sick.
“So Julian knew?””
Richard shook his head.
“Not everything.””
“But enough.””
“Yes.””
I finally understood.
Julian hadn't created this conspiracy.
He had inherited it.
The men above us suddenly began shouting.
“Check the tunnel!””
Footsteps thundered overhead.
Margaret pointed toward a narrow passage.
“Move!””
We ran.
Well, they ran.
I limped.
Daniel slowed beside me.
“Give me your arm.””
“I can walk.””
“I know.””
He held out his hand.
“I'm still your brother.””
The words stopped me.
I looked at his face.
Then I took his hand.
For the first time in forty-six years, I walked beside someone who shared my blood.
We reached the end of the tunnel.
A metal hatch opened beneath an abandoned shed.
Rain poured outside.
Beyond it stood an old runway.
At the far end was a small aircraft.
Daniel pointed.
“That's ours.””
Margaret frowned.
“How did you get a plane?””
“I planned for this.””
Richard stepped out of the tunnel.
Daniel turned.
“You're not coming.””
Richard stared at me.
“Eleanor, please.””
I looked at him.
He seemed suddenly much older than the man I had married.
“You betrayed me.””
“I know.””
“You helped my son try to take my company.””
“I know.””
“You stood there while I nearly died.””
His eyes filled with tears.
“I know.””
“And now you want me to save you?””
Richard shook his head.
“No.””
He looked at Daniel.
“I want her to know the truth.””
Before I could respond, headlights appeared at the far end of the runway.
Three black vehicles.
Men spilled out.
Daniel grabbed my hand.
“Plane. Now.””
Margaret climbed aboard.
I followed.
Richard remained behind.
I turned.
“Richard!””
He looked at me.
For one second, we were back in our kitchen in New York, forty-six years earlier, before the lies.
Then he said:
“Go.””
I stepped onto the plane.
Daniel pulled the door shut.
As the aircraft began moving, I looked through the window.
Richard stood alone on the runway.
The vehicles surrounded him.
Then one man stepped out.
Even from a distance, I recognized him.
Victor Hale.
He raised a phone to his ear.
My phone vibrated.
A new message appeared.
*You should have stayed in the river, Eleanor.*
May you like
Then another:
*Because now your grandson is next.*
