Chapter 8 - Estelle's House
Estelle Voss lived in a quiet neighborhood outside Alexandria.
The house looked ordinary.
That's what made it frightening.
She opened the door before we knocked.
"You came."
Hale stepped inside.
Estelle looked at him.
"You've aged."
"So have you."
"Not enough."
She turned to me.
"Your father took Lorraine."
"Why?"
"Because she was going to confess."
"Confess what?"
"Everything."
We entered the kitchen.
Estelle poured coffee.
My hands were shaking.
"Tell me about my mother."
"She didn't trust Victor."
"I know."
"No."
Estelle placed the cup down.
"She loved him."
I looked away.
That was somehow harder.
"Then why did he abandon me?"
"Because he was told your life would be used against him."
"By whom?"
Estelle looked at Hale.
"Tell her."
He didn't move.
"Tell me."
Hale finally spoke.
"Presidentially appointed officials. Senior contractors. Someone inside intelligence."
My stomach tightened.
"Intelligence?"
"Your mother's financial investigation crossed into classified procurement."
"She found something classified."
"Yes."
"What?"
Hale looked at Estelle.
Estelle nodded.
"The Meridian Files."
I had never heard the term.
"What are they?"
"A list of covert suppliers."
"For what?"
"Military technology."
"That's still not enough."
Estelle's eyes sharpened.
"Some of those suppliers were fake."
"What?"
"They existed only on paper."
My mind raced.
"Shell companies."
"Yes."
"Who owned them?"
"We don't know."
"Then why were they being paid?"
"Because billions of dollars were moving through them."
"Where?"
Estelle leaned closer.
"Back into the United States."
"Through politics?"
"Through defense companies."
I looked at Hale.
"Like Caldwell Defense."
"Among others."
My phone rang.
Blake.
I answered.
"Where are you?"
He was breathing hard.
"At the warehouse."
"What warehouse?"
"My father's."
"What happened?"
"I found Lorraine."
"Is she hurt?"
"No."
"Where is Victor?"
"I don't know."
Then Blake's voice dropped.
"But there's someone else here."
"Who?"
"I think it's Voss."
My blood froze.
"Daniel?"
"He's alive."
The line went silent.
Then the call ended.
I looked at Hale.
"That was a trap."
He nodded.
"Almost certainly."
We drove back toward the city.
Halfway there, I received a video.
Blake was tied to a chair.
Lorraine was behind him.
And standing in front of them was Victor.
He looked directly into the camera.
"Maya."
I stopped breathing.
"If you're seeing this, you've gone too far."
My father placed a folder on the table.
"Your mother's death was not accidental."
I stared.
Victor continued.
"She was killed because she found the Meridian Files."
My hands tightened.
"And I let them believe I helped."
He looked toward Blake.
"I thought I could protect both families."
Lorraine began crying.
"You couldn't."
Victor's face crumpled.
"No."
Then he looked back at the camera.
"The man who ordered your mother's death is alive."
A figure entered the frame.
I couldn't see his face.
Victor spoke.
"He's the reason I kept you away."
The video cut.
My phone rang immediately.
A different number.
I answered.
A distorted male voice said:
"Colonel Caldwell."
"Who are you?"
"You've been looking for the wrong enemy."
"What do you want?"
"Your mother's ledger."
"I don't have it."
"You have both."
I froze.
"Then you should know one thing."
"What?"
"Your father isn't your real target."
"Who is?"
A quiet laugh.
"You are."
The call ended.
Hale looked at me.
Then his secure phone rang.
He listened.
His face changed.
"What?"
He ended the call.
"What happened?"
"The White House event has been locked down."
"Why?"
"Because someone walked into the building using your credentials."
I stared at him.
"My credentials are with me."
May you like
Hale nodded.
"That's the problem."
