Chapter 10 - THE FALL OF KENDRICK ASHFORD
Police flooded the lobby.
Kendrick's lawyers called within minutes.
The warrant was real.
Evidence had appeared overnight.
Bank transfers.
A weapon tied to one of Celeste's attackers.
Messages supposedly sent by Kendrick.
All fake.
All convincing.
Barrett had prepared this for years.
Kendrick looked at Samuel.
"You helped build the frame."
Samuel didn't deny it.
"Yes."
Evelyn stared at him with disgust.
"Why are you here?"
Samuel lowered his weapon completely.
"Because I made a decision."
"Six years late."
"Still a decision."
He removed a flash drive from his pocket.
"This contains Barrett's real accounts and the original recordings."
Kendrick took it.
"Why give it to me now?"
Samuel looked at Penny.
"Because I was told to kill the child tonight."
Silence.
Penny hid behind Titan.
Samuel's face twisted with shame.
"I've done terrible things."
He looked at Evelyn.
"But I'm not doing that."
A pounding came from downstairs.
"Police!"
Kendrick turned to his men.
"No shooting."
Several looked shocked.
"Boss—"
"No one fires at police officers."
He looked at Evelyn.
"You take Penny."
"No."
"Evelyn."
"I'm not leaving."
"That's adorable."
"This isn't funny."
"Nothing about tonight has been funny."
Police shouted again.
Kendrick handed her the flash drive.
"If they arrest me, get this to my attorney."
"What about Barrett?"
"You find your brother."
She stared at him.
"You think I'm leaving you to handle this alone?"
"I've handled worse."
"So have I."
Their eyes locked.
Then Kendrick did something neither expected.
He touched her cheek.
"That's what worries me."
The doors downstairs crashed open.
Samuel led Evelyn and Penny through a concealed service corridor.
Titan followed.
Kendrick remained behind.
Twenty minutes later, television cameras captured Manhattan's most feared syndicate boss being led from his tower in handcuffs.
Barrett appeared before the cameras.
He looked devastated.
"My nephew has lost his way."
Inside the hidden tunnel beneath the building, Evelyn watched the broadcast on Samuel's phone.
Her hands shook with rage.
"He deserves an Oscar."
Samuel kept moving.
"Barrett owns two captains in Kendrick's organization. By morning, they'll call a leadership vote."
"Then Kendrick loses control while he's in custody."
"That's the plan."
Penny held Evelyn's hand.
"Where's Daddy going?"
Evelyn crouched.
"He's coming back."
"You promise?"
Promises frightened Evelyn.
She had lost everyone she'd promised to protect.
But she looked into Penny's gray eyes.
"I promise."
Samuel led them into an underground parking structure.
A black car waited.
Evelyn stopped.
"Where's Lucas?"
"Brooklyn."
"You take me now."
"I will."
They drove toward the river.
Thirty minutes later, Samuel stopped outside an abandoned printing warehouse.
Evelyn's heart pounded.
"He's inside?"
Samuel nodded.
"Barrett kept him because Lucas inherited your father's memory."
"What does that mean?"
"Your brother saw Daniel's backup codes."
Evelyn stared.
"He was fourteen."
"He remembered them."
Samuel opened the door.
Inside the warehouse, lights flickered.
A man sat chained to a radiator.
Thin.
Bearded.
Older.
But Evelyn knew him instantly.
"Lucas."
His head lifted.
For six years, she had dreamed about his voice.
Now it came out cracked and disbelieving.
"Evie?"
She ran to him.
They crashed into each other.
Both crying.
Neither able to speak.
Then Lucas pulled back.
His face changed when he saw Samuel.
"No."
Evelyn turned.
Samuel frowned.
"What?"
Lucas pointed at him.
"Get away from him."
"Lucas—"
"He didn't save me from Barrett."
Samuel went still.
Lucas's voice shook.
May you like
"He is Barrett."
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