Chapter 14 - What Really Happened to Ren
At midnight, the final file appeared.
No dramatic announcement.
No threatening message.
Just an email.
To Gideon.
To Evelyn.
To Hannah.
To three federal prosecutors.
Subject:
REN.
Gideon sat in a quiet conference room.
Evelyn beside him.
Hannah across from them.
Marcus near the door.
Ava and Sophie were asleep safely under federal guard.
Gideon opened the video.
The image shook.
Ren’s toy camera.
The date was three weeks before the crash.
She had apparently left it recording while walking through Crosswell House.
Her small voice hummed a song.
The camera pointed at carpet.
Then walls.
Then an open study door.
Silas Kane stood inside.
Thomas Vane beside him.
Documents covered Gideon’s desk.
Their voices were clear.
Vane said, “Crosswell finds out, we’re finished.”
Silas answered, “He already knows something.”
“How much?”
“Enough to stop shipments.”
“And?”
“He threatened to expose everyone involved.”
Vane laughed.
“He would expose himself too.”
Silas replied, “That is the problem. Since the girl was born, Gideon has developed a conscience.”
Gideon closed his eyes.
The camera moved.
Ren entered the room.
“Uncle Si!”
Silas turned.
His expression changed instantly.
“Ren.”
“What are you doing?”
“Working.”
“Where’s Daddy?”
“Not here.”
Ren lifted the camera.
“Smile!”
Silas moved quickly.
The image blurred.
“Give me that.”
“No!”
“Ren.”
“I’m taking pictures.”
Silas grabbed for the camera.
Ren ran.
The video shifted wildly.
Before she left, Vane’s voice said:
“That child saw us.”
Silas replied:
“She’s four.”
Vane said something that made everyone in the conference room go still.
“Children grow up.”
The recording changed.
Different date.
The hospital.
Hannah had apparently merged files.
Ren lay in bed.
The video Sophie had seen.
Happy flowers.
Follow the sun.
Then more footage.
After Hannah believed she had stopped recording, the phone remained active.
Ren whispered:
“Daddy was mad at Uncle Si.”
Hannah replied, “It’s okay.”
“He said no more bad boxes.”
Gideon covered his face.
Ren had heard.
She understood only fragments.
But enough.
Then Ren said:
“Daddy said he’s going to tell the police.”
Evelyn looked at Gideon.
“You were?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“The next morning.”
He had never told Evelyn.
“I had scheduled a meeting with a federal contact.”
Marcus stared.
“Why didn’t anyone know?”
“Because I canceled after Ren died.”
Silas had known.
That was the motive.
Not only control.
Silencing Gideon before he exposed the operation.
The video continued.
Hannah asked Ren:
“Do you want me to tell your daddy anything?”
Ren nodded.
“Tell him I’m not mad.”
Gideon stopped breathing.
Evelyn began crying.
Ren continued.
“Daddy gets sad.”
Hannah’s voice broke.
“What do you mean?”
“When people are scared of him.”
Gideon stared at the screen.
His daughter had seen him more clearly at four years old than most adults ever had.
Ren whispered:
“Tell Daddy be good.”
The monitor beside her began sounding alarms.
Hannah called for a doctor.
Ren looked toward the phone one final time.
“Find the light.”
The video ended.
Gideon did not move.
Nobody spoke for a long time.
Then Evelyn reached for his hand.
He looked down.
They had not held hands since the funeral.
“I thought she died afraid of me,” Gideon whispered.
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.”
“She knew.”
“She loved you.”
“I failed her.”
“Yes.”
Gideon looked at Evelyn.
The honesty surprised him.
Evelyn continued.
“And she loved you anyway.”
A tear ran down Gideon’s face.
“I don’t know what to do with that.”
“Maybe something better than what you did with guilt.”
Hannah wiped her eyes.
Gideon looked again at the frozen image of Ren.
Tell Daddy be good.
Such a simple instruction.
Impossible, perhaps, for a man with twenty years of sins behind him.
But maybe goodness was not something you were.
Maybe it was something you chose.
Again.
And again.
Especially after failing.
Agent Donnelly entered quietly.
“We have Kane in federal detention.”
Gideon nodded.
“Vane?”
“Talking.”
“That quickly?”
“He saw the evidence.”
“Coward.”
“Probably.”
She placed a thick folder on the table.
“We need to discuss you.”
Gideon looked at it.
“My turn?”
“Yes.”
“You want my organization.”
“All of it.”
He looked at Marcus.
Marcus said nothing.
Donnelly continued.
“You cooperate fully. Accounts. Officials. Operations. Historical crimes.”
“And?”
“Prosecutors consider reduced charges.”
“How reduced?”
“I can’t promise.”
Gideon leaned back.
“Prison?”
“Possibly.”
Evelyn looked at him.
Hannah remained quiet.
Donnelly continued.
“You spent twenty years building the structure Silas used.”
“I know.”
“This is your chance to dismantle it.”
Gideon looked at Ren on the paused screen.
Tell Daddy be good.
He smiled sadly.
“She always was bossy.”
Evelyn laughed through tears.
“Yes.”
Gideon picked up the folder.
“Where do I sign?”
Marcus stared.
“You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
“You give them everything, half the waterfront collapses.”
“Then build something better.”
Marcus sat.
“After twenty years?”
“After twenty years.”
Donnelly opened the documents.
Before Gideon signed, her phone rang.
She answered.
Her expression changed.
“What?”
Everyone looked at her.
“When?”
A pause.
“How?”
She slowly lowered the phone.
Gideon stood.
“What happened?”
Donnelly looked at him.
“Silas Kane escaped custody.”
The room went cold.
“That’s impossible,” Marcus said.
Donnelly shook her head.
“Transport ambush.”
“Where?”
“Lower Wacker.”
“Casualties?”
“Two agents injured.”
Gideon closed his eyes.
Of course.
The truth had arrived.
But consequence had not.
Donnelly spoke again.
“There’s more.”
“What?”
“Kane left a message.”
“For me?”
“Yes.”
She handed Gideon the phone.
May you like
Four words appeared.
YOU SHOULD HAVE KILLED ME.
