Chapter 11 - TEN SECONDS
“OUT!”
Ruiz screamed.
Everybody ran.
Ten.
Nine.
Daniel grabbed Noah.
Eight.
Hannah pulled Margaret Vale toward the stairs.
Seven.
An officer tripped.
Ruiz dragged him up.
Six.
Five.
Daniel reached the kitchen.
Four.
He shoved Noah through the open back door.
Three.
Hannah jumped off the porch.
Two.
Daniel saw Vale still inside.
“MOVE!”
One.
The basement exploded.
The floor lifted.
Windows burst outward.
Daniel hit the ground with Noah beneath him.
Flames rolled through the roof.
For several seconds, nobody heard anything except ringing.
Then Noah coughed.
Daniel looked down.
“You okay?”
Noah nodded.
Hannah was bleeding from her forehead but conscious.
Ruiz rolled onto her back.
“Everybody here?”
An officer shouted names.
Vale was missing.
Daniel looked at the burning house.
“No.”
He ran toward it.
Ruiz grabbed him.
“You can’t!”
“Vale’s inside!”
The kitchen collapsed.
Daniel stopped.
The flames swallowed the doorway.
Noah screamed, “Mrs. Vale!”
Fire crews arrived fifteen minutes later.
By then, the blue house was gone.
Margaret Vale never came out.
Ruiz stood beside Daniel while smoke covered the lake.
“She was about to tell us everything.”
Daniel looked at the flames.
“That’s why somebody blew the house.”
Ruiz checked her phone.
“The bomb was triggered remotely.”
“Andrew?”
“Maybe.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“You really hate conclusions.”
“They get innocent people convicted.”
“He stole from my company, kidnapped my son, helped fake his death, and now witnesses are exploding.”
“And I still need evidence that survives court.”
Daniel looked at Noah.
“Then use his recordings.”
Ruiz nodded.
“We will.”
A detective approached carrying a fireproof evidence box.
“Found outside the blast radius.”
Inside was an encrypted flash drive.
A label had been taped to it.
E.M.
Daniel whispered, “Evelyn Mercer.”
Back at the mansion, technicians broke the encryption.
The drive contained videos.
Evelyn had recorded herself.
Daniel clicked the first file.
His dead wife appeared on-screen.
Her hair was tied back.
Her face looked tired.
But alive.
Daniel reached toward the monitor without realizing it.
Evelyn spoke.
“If you’re watching this, I was probably right to be afraid.”
Noah moved beside his father.
“Mom.”
Evelyn continued.
“Andrew and Grant Whitmore have been moving money through Mercer Global for years. Celeste knows. Leonard Pike knows.”
Daniel sat down heavily.
Grant Whitmore.
Mercer Global’s chief financial officer.
The man Daniel had trusted with every account.
Evelyn held up documents.
“I confronted Andrew. He told me Daniel would never believe me.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
She was right.
Back then, Daniel worshiped his brother.
Evelyn’s voice softened.
“If Daniel sees this… I’m sorry I couldn’t make you listen while I was alive.”
Daniel whispered, “I’m sorry.”
The video continued.
“There’s something else. Andrew knows Noah’s trust is protected from company creditors. If Mercer Global collapses, Noah may become the only person in this family with money Andrew cannot touch.”
Ruiz leaned forward.
Evelyn looked directly at the camera.
“And if Noah ever disappears, do not believe the first story they tell you.”
The video ended.
No one spoke.
Then Daniel’s phone rang.
Grant Whitmore.
Daniel answered.
“Grant.”
The CFO was breathing hard.
“Daniel, listen to me. I’m at the airport.”
“Stay there.”
“I can’t.”
“The police want you.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you calling?”
Grant lowered his voice.
“Because Andrew found out I kept copies.”
“Copies of what?”
“Everything.”
Daniel stood.
“Send them to me.”
“I will.”
“Now.”
Grant hesitated.
“But first you need to understand something.”
“What?”
“You keep blaming Celeste.”
Daniel looked across the room.
Grant said:
“Celeste didn’t start this.”
“Andrew did?”
“No.”
Daniel frowned.
“Then who?”
May you like
Grant whispered:
“Evelyn did.”
