Chapter 7
The address belonged to an abandoned Bannon warehouse.
Patrick recognized it as soon as he saw the map.
“My grandfather bought that place in 1978.”
Rebecca called law enforcement immediately.
Cody wasn't going anywhere.
None of us were.
But Malcolm had already made another move.
A video appeared online.
It showed Patrick entering Emmett Carbone's office.
Then me.
Then Emmett.
The caption accused us of conspiring with a rival company to steal Bannon Logistics.
Within hours, local reporters were calling.
Employees panicked.
Family members chose sides.
Maureen received threats.
Patrick's phone exploded with messages.
Malcolm wasn't running.
He was creating noise.
Rebecca said it plainly.
“He wants the legal story buried beneath a family scandal.”
Emmett seemed almost impressed.
“That sounds like Malcolm.”
I wasn't.
I was furious.
Cody sat across from me at Ruth's dining table.
“Can I say something online?”
“No.”
“But everyone thinks—”
“I don't care what strangers think.”
“I do.”
That stopped me.
He was sixteen.
His entire family was being discussed publicly.
His dead uncle's name was everywhere.
Kids from school were sending screenshots.
I sat beside him.
“You don't have to defend yourself.”
His eyes filled.
“Grandpa keeps talking like I'm property.”
My chest tightened.
“You aren't.”
“I know.”
“No. Look at me.”
He did.
“You are not a Bannon heir before you are Cody. You are not a company. You are not a replacement for Shawn. You are not responsible for fixing what adults broke.”
He started crying.
“So I can still apply?”
I almost laughed through my tears.
“To California?”
He nodded.
“Yes.”
“What if Dad says no?”
Patrick stood in the doorway.
“He won't.”
Cody wiped his eyes.
Patrick came closer.
“I owe you an apology.”
“You already apologized.”
“Not enough.”
He sat across from Cody.
“When Grandpa started talking about the business, part of me thought maybe it would be good for you.”
Cody looked down.
“Because you wanted it?”
“No.”
Patrick swallowed.
“Because I spent my whole life believing refusing Dad meant failing him. I almost passed that fear to you.”
Cody stared at his father.
Patrick continued.
“You get to choose.”
“Even animation?”
“Especially animation.”
Cody cried harder.
Then he hugged him.
It was the first moment in weeks that felt like healing.
It didn't last.
Rebecca entered.
“They found Malcolm.”
Everyone stood.
“At the warehouse?”
“Yes.”
Police surrounded the building.
Malcolm surrendered without resistance.
He walked outside wearing a suit.
Of course he did.
He was arrested on charges connected to financial fraud, coercion, evidence tampering, and conspiracy related to Dean's pursuit of Shawn.
More charges were expected.
Patrick watched the news footage silently.
Malcolm didn't look afraid.
Before entering the police vehicle, he turned toward the cameras.
He said one sentence.
“My family will regret what they've done.”
Patrick switched off the television.
Two days later, Malcolm requested to see him.
Patrick refused.
Then Malcolm requested Cody.
Absolutely not.
Then me.
I surprised everyone.
“I'll go.”
Patrick stared.
“Why?”
“Because he wants something.”
“So let him want.”
“I need to hear what.”
Rebecca agreed only if she attended.
Malcolm sat behind thick glass in a detention interview room.
For the first time since I had met him, he looked old.
Not powerful.
Old.
He picked up the phone.
“So.”
I picked up mine.
“You wanted me.”
“You've won.”
“No.”
He almost smiled.
“You sound like Emmett.”
“This isn't a game.”
“Everything is.”
“That is why your family is gone.”
The smile disappeared.
“You turned Patrick against me.”
“No.”
“You poisoned Cody.”
“No.”
“You brought Carbone into this.”
“I climbed into the first car that stopped.”
Malcolm laughed quietly.
“Do you truly believe that was chance?”
My skin prickled.
“What does that mean?”
He leaned closer.
“Emmett knew you were at my house.”
Rebecca immediately wrote something.
“How?”
Malcolm ignored her.
“Shawn wasn't the only Bannon talking to Carbone.”
I stared.
“Who else?”
Malcolm smiled.
“Ask your husband.”
The call ended.
I drove back furious.
Patrick was waiting outside Ruth's house.
“Were you working with Emmett before this?”
His expression told me everything.
Not everything.
But enough.
“Yes.”
I felt betrayed.
“For how long?”
“Three weeks.”
“Shawn died twelve days ago.”
“I contacted Emmett before Shawn died.”
I stepped back.
“Why?”
Patrick looked ashamed.
“Because Shawn came to me.”
He finally told me.
A month earlier, Shawn had admitted Malcolm wanted Cody positioned as his eventual successor.
Patrick had secretly contacted Emmett to understand the old warehouse agreements.
He had planned to confront Malcolm.
Then Shawn died.
Patrick panicked.
He stopped speaking to Emmett.
“And you never told me?”
“I was scared.”
“You let me walk into Malcolm's house!”
“I didn't know he would trap you.”
“You knew enough to hide things!”
Cody appeared at the doorway.
I lowered my voice.
Patrick whispered, “You're right.”
That made me angrier.
“I don't want to be right. I wanted you to trust me.”
He looked broken.
“I spent my whole life surviving my father by keeping pieces of the truth separated.”
I stared at him.
“And you brought that into our marriage.”
“Yes.”
Silence.
“I don't know how to forgive that yet.”
“I know.”
For the first time, Patrick didn't ask me to make his guilt easier.
That mattered.
Not enough.
But it mattered.
That night I slept in Ruth's guest room alone.
At two in the morning, Cody knocked.
“Mom?”
I opened the door.
He held his laptop.
“My portfolio is gone.”
“What?”
“The whole folder.”
I rushed to the computer.
Deleted.
Backup drive?
Corrupted.
Cloud account?
Locked.
Cody looked devastated.
“My deadline is nine days.”
Then an email arrived.
From an anonymous address.
ONE BANNON FUTURE HAS ALREADY BEEN DECIDED.
I stared at the screen.
Malcolm was in custody.
Dean was in custody.
May you like
Which meant someone else was still carrying out his orders.
Someone inside the family.
