Chapter 9
I should have felt nothing.
Julian had betrayed me.
Humiliated me.
Stolen from me.
Helped his mother destroy my family’s memories.
But when a stranger threatened his life, some old part of me still flinched.
I hated that.
Marcus grabbed my arm.
“We are not trading anything for Julian.”
“I know.”
“Khloe.”
“I said I know.”
Leah called police and Robert Hale.
Within an hour, federal agents were involved.
Robert arrived at the cabin near dusk.
White hair.
Black suit.
Eyes like he had waited twenty years for this war to return.
He looked at the broken windows and shook his head.
“Eleanor was always impatient when cornered.”
“Who has Julian?”
“Probably not Eleanor directly. She uses a man named Victor Sloan.”
Daniel, on speaker, cursed.
“The developer?”
Robert nodded.
“Real estate, private security, campaign money. He wanted your father’s lakefront property for a private airstrip tied to his logistics network.”
“Logistics for what?”
Robert’s jaw tightened.
“Smuggling.”
Marcus went pale.
“And Dad found out.”
“Yes.”
Leah found tire tracks behind the cabin.
Heavy truck.
Security vehicle.
Robert stared at the tracks.
“If they took the chest, they’ll go where they can open it safely.”
“Where?”
“The old Vance boathouse.”
Eleanor called before we left.
“Khloe,” she said sweetly. “You have made such a mess.”
“You burned my father’s cabin.”
“Your father should have minded his business.”
My hand tightened around the phone.
“You killed him.”
She sighed.
“Prove it.”
Then Julian screamed in the background.
My blood froze.
Eleanor continued, “Bring Marcus. Bring the code. No police.”
I looked at Robert.
He shook his head.
I said, “Fine.”
Eleanor laughed softly.
“And Khloe?”
May you like
“Yes?”
“Wear something black. You always looked better as a widow.”
