"Inside."
Jax immediately went looking for her.
He found her sitting beside Daniel.
The lawyer held a battered leather briefcase.
Jax entered.
"What is that?"
Daniel looked at him.
"The reason Marcus will never stop hunting her."
He placed the briefcase on the table.
Inside were dozens of documents.
Bank statements.
Property records.
Photographs.
Contracts.
And one thick envelope.
Daniel handed it to Lily.
"Your mother's original will."
Lily stared at it.
Her fingers trembled.
"She really left everything to me."
"Yes."
"Why didn't you give this to me?"
"I tried."
"Then why?"
"Marcus threatened my family."
Lily looked at him.
"Your family?"
"My daughter."
He lowered his eyes.
"Marcus knew where she went to school."
Lily's expression softened.
"I'm sorry."
Daniel shook his head.
"Don't apologize."
He pointed toward the documents.
"Your mother knew Marcus was stealing from the company."
"She was preparing to expose him."
"Then she died."
Lily whispered:
"He killed her."
Daniel didn't answer.
That silence was enough.
Jax stepped forward.
"Do you have proof?"
Daniel nodded.
"Not enough for a conviction."
"Then what do we have?"
Daniel opened the final folder.
"Enough to bring down his entire operation."
Jax looked at Cole.
"We take it to the police."
Daniel shook his head.
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because Marcus has friends inside the department."
The room went silent.
Daniel continued.
"We need someone outside his reach."
"Who?"
Daniel looked at Jax.
"A federal investigator."
Jax's eyes narrowed.
"Do you have one?"
Daniel nodded.
"I have his number."
He reached for his phone.
Then stopped.
"There's one problem."
"What?"
"The evidence is incomplete."
Lily frowned.
"What’s missing?"
Daniel looked at her.
"The shipment records."
"Where are they?"
"In Marcus's private warehouse."
Jax stared at him.
"Then we get them."
Daniel shook his head.
"You don't understand."
"That warehouse is guarded."
Jax smiled slightly.
"Good."
Cole groaned.
"I know that look."
Jax grabbed his leather vest.
"We're going hunting."
Chapter 5
The warehouse stood at the edge of the industrial district.
It was enormous.
Three stories of concrete.
Rows of loading docks.
Security cameras covering every entrance.
Marcus's private empire hidden behind legitimate paperwork.
Jax parked several blocks away.
Cole sat beside him.
Lily and Daniel waited in another vehicle.
"You sure about this?" Cole asked.
"No."
Cole laughed.
"Good answer."
Jax looked toward the warehouse.
"But we're doing it anyway."
They waited until midnight.
Then the security lights on the western side suddenly went dark.
Cole smiled.
"Daniel's contact?"
Jax nodded.
"Now."
They moved quickly.
Inside the warehouse, the air smelled of oil and metal.
They found rows of sealed crates.
Shipping manifests.
Computer terminals.
Then Lily noticed something.
A red folder.
She opened it.
Her mother's handwriting was on the first page.
Lily froze.
"This is it."
Jax walked over.
"What?"
She pointed.
"The final shipment records."
Daniel immediately began photographing the pages.
Then footsteps echoed from the hallway.
Everyone froze.
A man's voice called out.
"I know you're in here."
Marcus.
Lily's heart stopped.
Jax looked at her.
"Stay behind me."
Marcus walked into the room.
He was no longer wearing his expensive coat.
His face was cold.
Two armed men stood behind him.
"You really are your mother's daughter," he said.
Lily stepped forward.
"You killed her."
Marcus sighed.
"She was going to destroy everything."
"So you killed her."
"She gave me no choice."
Jax moved forward.