CHAPTER 10 — THE FIFTH VOTE
The complete recording lasted twenty-three seconds longer than the public version.
Eleanor’s face trembled as she spoke.
“If anything happens to me, the person responsible will be someone my husband trusts with his life.”
She glanced toward the door.
Then she whispered the name.
“William Hart.”
The chairman of Montrose Global.
The man whose deciding vote had nearly handed Isabella’s shares to Damian.
Claire immediately reviewed Hart’s history.
Thirty years earlier, William had served as a junior executive under Alexander.
He was also Adrian Locke’s uncle.
The conspiracy was older than Damian’s marriage.
Older than Isabella’s career.
Older than almost everyone involved.
William had helped Richard and Evelyn Cross conceal the theft from Eleanor’s trust.
When Eleanor discovered them, William altered her medical records and protected Richard from investigation.
Adrian later inherited the scheme.
Damian had merely become its newest weapon.
Marcus searched William’s office.
It was empty.
His home was empty.
His private plane had been scheduled for departure but never left the runway.
Vanessa remembered the warehouse where Evelyn had taken her.
“There was a second room behind the office,” she said. “I heard two men arguing.”
One had been Adrian.
The other may have been William.
Police returned to the warehouse and found a concealed passage leading to the river.
Blood was discovered on the floor.
But no bodies.
Damian insisted Evelyn intended to remove everyone who could connect her to Eleanor’s death.
“She worships the Cross name,” he said. “She will destroy her own family before allowing the truth to survive.”
Isabella studied him.
“You sound frightened.”
“I am.”
“For yourself?”
“For you.”
She almost turned away.
Then Damian showed her a message Evelyn had sent him.
Bring Isabella to the old Montrose boathouse at midnight. Come alone, or Adrian dies.
The boathouse had belonged to Eleanor.
Isabella had not visited it since childhood.
Detective Rowan wanted to use Damian’s phone to arrange a controlled meeting.
Damian agreed.
At eleven fifty-five, Isabella watched from an unmarked vehicle as Damian entered the boathouse wearing a concealed microphone.
Evelyn was waiting inside.
So was William Hart.
Adrian sat in a chair between them.
The silver case rested on a table.
Evelyn looked toward Damian.
“Where is your wife?”
“She refused.”
Evelyn smiled.
“No, she did not.”
Her eyes moved directly toward the dark window where Isabella was hidden.
“She is exactly like her mother.”
May you like
Then every light around the boathouse went out.
A single gunshot echoed across the water.
