Chương 14 - The Truth About Larkin StevesThomas disappeared.
For three weeks.
The city settled into nervous quiet.
Evelyn entered federal custody under a cooperation agreement.
Michael Trent was charged.
The Woods Restitution Foundation began assembling claims.
And Steves Holdings remained standing.
Barely.
Then one morning, Larkin placed a folder on my desk.
I still had a desk.
Technically.
Though my job title had changed.
Chief Financial Strategy Officer.
I laughed when Larkin offered it.
“You want your secretary to become an executive?”
“You haven’t been a secretary for a long time.”
“Tell payroll.”
He did.
The salary almost made me fall out of my chair.
But the folder he brought that morning contained something else.
“My resignation,” he said.
I looked up.
“What?”
“From Steves Holdings.”
I stared.
“Why?”
“Because you were right.”
“That’s vague enough to be terrifying.”
He sat.
“My family built something rotten.”
“You changed it.”
“Not enough.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Dismantle the illegal side.”
That was not a small statement.
The underground organization employed hundreds of people.
Controlled contracts.
Protection.
Cash businesses.
“You know what happens if you shut everything down overnight.”
“Yes.”
“People fight over territory.”
“Yes.”
“Competitors move in.”
“Yes.”
“So?”
“We convert what we can. Sell what we can’t. Turn over evidence where necessary.”
I studied him.
“You’ve thought about this.”
“For years.”
“Why now?”
He looked at me.
“Because surviving my father isn’t the same as becoming better than him.”
That answer stayed with me.
“What happens to you?”
“Depends on what investigators find.”
“You could be charged.”
“Yes.”
“Prison?”
“Possibly.”
My chest tightened.
“You sound calm.”
“I’m not.”
I stood.
“Why are you doing this now?”
He looked at me for a long moment.
“Because I want a life that doesn’t require you to look over your shoulder.”
There it was again.
The thing between us.
No longer subtle.
I walked around the desk.
“You don’t get to rebuild your entire life because of me.”
“I’m not.”
“Good.”
“I’m doing it because you made me realize I wanted one.”
That was worse.
Or better.
I didn’t know.
He stood.
We were close now.
I said, “Larkin.”
“Yes?”
“This is still a terrible time.”
“I know.”
I kissed him anyway.
It wasn’t cinematic.
No music.
No ballroom.
No dramatic city lights.
It was quiet.
Careful.
Almost hesitant.
Which somehow made it more dangerous.
When we separated, he rested his forehead lightly against mine.
“Still emotionally compromised?”
“Severely.”
I smiled.
Then the office door opened.
Thomas stood there.
Alive.
Alone.
Larkin moved instantly.
Thomas raised his hands.
“I’m not armed.”
“You have five seconds.”
“I came to surrender.”
Silence.
I stared.
Thomas looked terrible.
Unshaven.
Exhausted.
Nothing like the man from the gala.
“To who?” Larkin asked.
“You.”
“You don’t surrender to me.”
“Then the government.”
I stepped closer.
“Why?”
Thomas laughed once.
“Because someone tried to kill me.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
Larkin’s expression hardened.
Thomas continued.
“And before you enjoy the irony, they weren’t after me because of the ledger.”
“Then why?”
“Because of our father.”
Robert.
Again.
Thomas dropped a flash drive onto the desk.
“I found this in Gregory’s estate.”
“What is it?”
“A video.”
We opened it.
Robert Steves appeared.
Younger.
Alive.
He spoke directly into a camera.
“If my sons ever see this, then Crown has failed.”
Larkin went still.
Robert continued.
“Gregory betrayed me. Evelyn betrayed Gregory. And Daniel Woods discovered all of it.”
My chest tightened.
Then came the sentence none of us expected.
“But Daniel did not die because of Crown.”
We stared.
“His death was ordered by someone outside the family.”
The video glitched.
Then Robert said the name.
“Adrian Vale.”
I stopped breathing.
May you like
Thomas whispered:
“Your father trusted the wrong man.”
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