Chapter 14 - THE LAST BETRAYAL
"Vanessa!"
I ran toward her.
Dad grabbed me.
"Don't!"
Kane raised his weapon again.
But Sheriff Miller suddenly stepped between us.
"Enough."
Kane looked surprised.
"You?"
Miller lowered his gun.
"I've done what you asked."
Kane laughed.
"Then move."
"No."
For the first time, Kane looked angry.
"You owe me."
Miller shook his head.
"I owe too many people."
He turned toward me.
"Upload the ledger."
I stared.
"Why?"
"Because I'm done."
Kane fired.
Miller fell.
Dad pulled me behind the fireplace.
Mom returned fire.
Kane disappeared into the hallway.
We dragged Miller behind cover.
He was bleeding badly.
"Where's Vanessa?"
I looked.
She was gone.
A trail of blood led toward the basement.
I followed it.
I found her sitting against the cellar wall.
She was alive.
Barely.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
I knelt.
"Save your strength."
"I deserve this."
"No."
"I sold them."
"You made a terrible choice."
She laughed weakly.
"That's what you call it?"
I didn't answer.
She reached into her coat.
A small memory card.
"I stole this from Kane."
"What is it?"
"Everything."
I took it.
"What everything?"
"Names. Payments. Locations. Blackmail files."
Then she whispered:
"And the video of Dad."
I stared.
"The original?"
She nodded.
"Kane had it."
"Why give it to me?"
"Because you're the only one who can end this."
Sirens approached.
Real police this time.
Miller had secretly called them before confronting Kane.
Federal agents entered the property.
Kane tried to escape through the tunnel.
Daniel intercepted him.
The two men fought in the darkness.
Then came a gunshot.
I ran toward the sound.
Kane stood alone.
Daniel was on the ground.
Kane raised his weapon.
I stepped forward.
"Drop it."
He laughed.
"You think this ends with me?"
I held up the memory card.
"It ends with everyone who helped you."
His smile disappeared.
"You don't understand power."
I answered:
"No."
I looked toward the federal agents.
"I understand evidence."
Kane surrendered.
The archive was secured.
The ledger was copied.
Sheriff Miller survived surgery.
Daniel survived.
Vanessa survived.
And my parents were finally free.
But there was one problem.
The final file on Vanessa's memory card had not opened.
It required a password.
I tried Grandpa's name.
Nothing.
Dad's name.
Nothing.
Mom's maiden name.
Nothing.
Then I remembered the note.
Look underneath.
I looked at the Christmas tree.
Under the tree was one final ornament.
A wooden star.
I turned it over.
Engraved into the back were four numbers.
I typed them.
The file opened.
A video appeared.
It showed Victor Kane sitting in a dark room.
But Kane wasn't alone.
Beside him sat someone I knew.
May you like
Someone who had been helping him from the beginning.
My father.
