Chapter 8 - The House With Too Many Secrets
Paul reacted first.
"Kill the lights!"
Darkness swallowed the warehouse.
Lily dropped immediately.
Victor's hand found her shoulder and pulled her behind a steel support column.
Gunfire erupted.
Glass exploded overhead.
Men shouted.
Lily covered her ears.
Victor leaned close.
"Stay here."
"No."
"Lily."
"You promised—"
"I promised to bring everyone home."
He placed the emergency phone in her hand.
"Now help me keep that promise."
Then he disappeared into the darkness.
Lily's heart hammered.
Across the warehouse, someone yelled.
Another shot.
Then Liam's voice.
"Lily!"
She looked toward the sound.
A shadow moved between crates.
"Liam?"
"Here."
She started forward.
A hand covered her mouth.
Lily fought.
"Quiet."
Daniel.
He pulled her behind stacked pallets.
"That's not Liam."
Her eyes widened.
The voice came again.
"Lily!"
Same tone.
Same panic.
But slightly wrong.
A recording.
Paul was using Liam's voice to lure her out.
Daniel whispered, "Victor expected tricks."
"Where is my brother?"
"With Mason."
"Is Mason really with Paul?"
Daniel looked toward the catwalk.
"I don't know anymore."
"That's helpful."
"Welcome to Victor's world."
A red emergency light came on.
Figures became visible.
Lily saw Liam behind an overturned table.
Alone.
No Mason.
"Liam!"
This time he looked at her.
Real.
He waved urgently.
"Stay there!"
Behind him, a man raised a gun.
Lily shouted.
"Liam, down!"
He dropped.
Daniel fired once.
The gunman fell behind the crate.
Lily stared at him.
Daniel looked embarrassed.
"I'm an attorney."
"You carry a gun?"
"I work for Victor Hayes."
Fair.
They moved toward Liam.
Victor appeared from the opposite side.
Blood had soaked through his shoulder again.
Lily's anger flared.
"You tore it open."
"This isn't an ideal recovery environment."
"Where's Paul?"
"Gone."
"Again?"
Victor looked annoyed.
"Yes."
Mason appeared behind him.
Lily backed away.
Victor raised a hand.
"Wait."
Mason tossed his weapon onto the floor.
Liam stood.
"He let me go."
Lily stared.
"What?"
Mason looked toward Victor.
"Paul never trusted me completely."
Victor's expression remained cold.
"Neither do I."
"He ordered me to shoot Liam."
"And?"
"I didn't."
Liam nodded.
"He whispered to run when the lights went out."
Lily looked between them.
"Then why did you hold a gun on him?"
Mason gave a tired laugh.
"Because Paul was watching."
Victor approached.
"You could have warned me."
"I tried."
"When?"
"The wine cellar."
"You told me nothing."
"I told you Paul moved early."
"That's not warning. That's weather commentary."
Even Daniel smiled.
Mason's face hardened.
"I couldn't tell you because Ethan was listening through the estate system."
Victor stopped.
"Ethan?"
"He's been controlling communications."
"Where is he?"
"Your house."
Victor's expression changed.
Mason continued.
"Paul sent him back after we left."
"For what?"
"To destroy the original financial records."
Victor cursed.
Rosa was still there.
Along with several employees who had nothing to do with the conspiracy.
"How many men?"
"At least six."
Victor looked at Daniel.
"Call Samuel."
"Already did."
Daniel held up a phone.
"Federal task force is five minutes out."
Victor nodded.
"We're going back."
Lily stared.
"What?"
"My house is full of people."
"Your house was full of people before."
"Exactly."
He looked at Mason.
"Can I trust you for thirty minutes?"
Mason answered without hesitation.
"No."
Victor's eyebrow lifted.
Mason continued.
"But you can trust that I want Paul in prison more than I want you dead."
Victor considered.
"Good enough."
Liam stepped toward his sister.
"You stay with Daniel."
Lily shook her head.
"Lily—"
"Rosa is there."
Victor looked at her.
"I'll get Rosa."
"I know that house better than most of your men."
He knew she was right.
She knew service corridors.
Storage rooms.
Staff entrances.
Places powerful people ignored.
Paul had weaponized invisibility against her.
Now Lily could use it herself.
Victor sighed.
"Fine."
Daniel muttered, "You give in to her surprisingly often."
Victor looked at him.
"Would you like to stay here?"
Daniel shut up.
Sirens grew louder.
Paul's remaining men began surrendering or fleeing.
Samuel Cross's team arrived.
Victor gave them the drive.
"Copies are already out."
Samuel, a gray-haired man in a raincoat, looked at Victor's shoulder.
"You need a hospital."
"Later."
"You're impossible."
"So I've heard."
Samuel looked at Lily.
"You Lily Carter?"
She nodded.
"You're the smartest person here."
Victor frowned.
"Why?"
"Because she appears to be the only one not carrying a gun."
Lily almost smiled.
Then Samuel handed her a small protective vest.
"Put this on."
Victor approved.
They returned toward the estate in several vehicles.
This time not the gardener's truck.
Liam sat beside Lily.
"I'm sorry."
She looked at him.
"You've said that."
"I mean it."
"I know."
"If I hadn't gambled—"
"Liam."
He stopped.
"You made mistakes."
She took his hand.
"But Paul chose what he did. Don't give him your guilt."
Liam swallowed.
Victor heard from the front seat.
He said nothing.
But the words stayed with him.
Don't give him your guilt.
Victor had been carrying guilt for years.
His father's crimes.
His brother's death.
The people hurt by an empire he inherited.
Maybe that guilt had blinded him too.
He had spent so much time trying to dismantle the visible violence that he had ignored the quiet abuse happening under his roof.
They reached the estate at 4:18 a.m.
The front gates were open.
No guards.
All lights on.
Victor hated that more than darkness.
"Too quiet."
Samuel's team spread out.
Lily pointed.
"Staff entrance."
Victor nodded.
They entered through the kitchen.
Empty.
Dining room.
Empty.
Hallway.
A radio played somewhere.
Old jazz.
Rosa loved jazz.
Lily ran.
Victor caught her.
"Slow."
They followed the music.
Laundry room.
The door stood open.
Inside, washing machines ran.
No Rosa.
On the folding table sat her apron.
Victor's face hardened.
Then Lily noticed water.
A thin line running beneath the basement door.
She opened it.
"Rosa?"
No answer.
They descended.
Water poured from a broken pipe.
Boxes floated across the floor.
At the far end, someone was tied to a chair.
Rosa.
Alive.
Lily rushed to her.
Rosa coughed.
"They're upstairs."
"Who?"
"Ethan."
Victor knelt.
"Where?"
"Your father's office."
Victor's face went still.
That room had been sealed for seven years.
Nobody used it.
Rosa grabbed his sleeve.
"He's burning papers."
Victor looked toward the ceiling.
Ethan was not merely destroying financial records.
Victor's father's office contained something else.
Old contracts.
Old recordings.
Evidence of crimes stretching back decades.
Enough to threaten people far more powerful than Paul.
Victor stood.
Samuel asked, "What's up there?"
Victor looked at him.
"The reason Paul believes he can take this city."
They headed upstairs.
Outside the sealed office, smoke curled beneath the door.
Victor kicked it open.
Flames climbed the curtains.
Ethan Cole stood near the desk.
In his hand was a gasoline can.
He looked at Victor.
Then Lily.
Then smiled.
"You're too late."
Victor raised his gun.
Ethan shook his head.
"You still think Paul is the one replacing you?"
Victor's eyes narrowed.
Ethan tossed a folder into the flames.
"No."
He laughed.
"Paul is only the man we needed everyone to blame."
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And behind Victor, someone quietly locked the office door.
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