Evelyn looked at her sister.
"You were kidnapped because of him."
"Yes."
"And Mom?"
"She tried to expose them."
"And Dad?"
"He tried to protect us."
Evelyn's voice cracked.
"And I was the reason everyone suffered."
Sarah immediately shook her head.
"No."
"But—"
"No."
Sarah grabbed her hands.
"None of this was your fault."
Avery suddenly laughed.
"You still tell her that?"
Sarah looked at him.
"Shut up."
"You always were sentimental."
"You killed our mother."
"I didn't kill her."
Sarah's eyes hardened.
"You ordered it."
Avery smiled.
"Prove it."
Sarah pointed toward the wall.
"I have proof."
Avery's smile disappeared.
"Where?"
Sarah looked at Evelyn.
"Inside the courthouse."
"What kind of proof?"
"The original ledger."
Harrison's eyes widened.
"The ledger?"
Sarah nodded.
"The one listing every payment."
"Where is it?"
"Hidden."
"Where?"
Sarah looked toward Evelyn.
"In the janitor's supply room."
Evelyn stared.
"What?"
Sarah smiled faintly.
"That's why they hired you."
"I thought I was undercover."
"You were."
"But you knew?"
"No."
"Then how did they know?"
Sarah's expression changed.
"Because the janitor's position was never random."
Evelyn felt a chill.
"What are you saying?"
"The person who approved your employment knew exactly who you were."
Evelyn looked at Harrison.
He shook his head.
"I didn't."
Sarah nodded.
"I know."
"Then who?"
Sarah turned toward Avery.
Avery's face was expressionless.
"Someone who wanted you close."
Evelyn's heart began racing.
"Who?"
Before Sarah could answer, a gunshot echoed through the underground corridor.
Everyone froze.
Harrison immediately pushed Evelyn behind him.
Another gunshot.
Closer.
Avery looked toward the corridor.
"They found us."
Sarah grabbed Evelyn's hand.
"We have to go."
"Where?"
"There's another exit."
Harrison looked at Avery.
"What about him?"
Avery smiled.
"Don't worry about me."
Evelyn stared at him.
"Why?"
"Because this building belongs to me."
Suddenly, the corridor lights turned red.
A siren began screaming.
Metal doors dropped from the ceiling.
One slammed down between Evelyn and Avery.
Another separated Harrison from the sisters.
"Evelyn!"
Harrison rushed toward them.
Sarah pulled Evelyn away.
"Don't stop!"
They ran.
The underground passage seemed endless.
Behind them, footsteps echoed.
Evelyn looked back.
"Harrison!"
"He'll find another way."
"But—"
"Trust me."
They reached a steel door.
Sarah entered a code.
The door opened.
They rushed inside.
It was a tiny room filled with old cleaning equipment.
Evelyn looked around.
"This is the janitor's supply room."
Sarah nodded.
"Exactly."
Evelyn stared at her.
"You said the ledger was here."
"Yes."
"Where?"
Sarah pointed toward an old mop bucket.
Evelyn looked confused.
"Inside?"
"No."
Sarah walked to the wall.
She pressed a loose tile.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside was a black ledger.
Evelyn carefully removed it.
She opened the first page.
Names.
Dates.
Amounts.
Hundreds of transactions.
Payments to judges.
Payments to attorneys.
Payments to police officers.
Payments to courthouse employees.
Then she saw a familiar name.
Melissa Grant.
Evelyn froze.
"Melissa?"
Sarah looked at the page.
"Yes."
"She was working for them?"
"Not willingly."
Evelyn turned another page.
Her father's name appeared.
Daniel Mercer.
Next to it was an amount.
$250,000.
Evelyn's heart sank.
"He took money."
Sarah shook her head.
"Read the description."
Evelyn looked closer.
Payment refused. Threat issued.
She exhaled.
Then another name caught her attention.
Daniel Harrison.
Beside it was a much larger amount.
$2,000,000.
Evelyn slowly looked at Sarah.
Sarah didn't speak.
The room suddenly felt unbearably small.
"You told me not to trust him."
"Yes."
"But you said Dad was protecting us."
"Yes."
"And Harrison was involved."
"Yes."
Evelyn looked down at the ledger.
"Then why did he help you?"
Sarah's expression became complicated.
"Because people can do terrible things and still regret them."
"Did he help you escape?"
Sarah nodded.
"Years ago."
"Then why does the ledger show he was paid?"
"He took the money."
"Why?"
"To make them believe he was loyal."
Evelyn stared.
"Was he?"
"No."
A loud pounding shook the door.
Someone was outside.
Sarah grabbed Evelyn's arm.
"We have to leave."
"Through where?"
Sarah pointed toward the floor.
A hidden hatch.
Evelyn opened it.
A narrow staircase descended into darkness.
"Where does this go?"
"Outside."
They climbed down.
Just before Sarah closed the hatch, Evelyn looked back at the ledger.
One final name was visible on the last page.
A name she never expected to see.
Evelyn Mercer.
Next to it was a date.
Tomorrow.
And an amount:
$10,000,000.
Evelyn stared.
"What is this?"
Sarah looked at the page.
Her face went pale.
"They're not trying to kill you."
"Then what do they want?"
Sarah whispered:
"They're trying to buy you."
The hatch slammed shut above them.
And somewhere in the darkness beneath the courthouse, a phone began to ring.
The phone kept ringing.
Evelyn stared into the darkness.
The sound echoed through the narrow underground tunnel, growing louder with every ring.
Sarah grabbed her arm.
"Don't answer it."
Evelyn looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because they know we're here."
The phone rang again.
Evelyn reached into her pocket.
It wasn't hers.
Sarah's hand went to her jacket.
She pulled out a small black phone.
"I don't recognize this."
Evelyn stared at it.
"Then someone put it there."
Sarah looked frightened.
"That's impossible."
"Nothing about tonight is impossible anymore."
The phone rang a fourth time.
Sarah finally answered.
She said nothing.
Neither did the person on the other end.
Then a man's voice came through.
"Evelyn."
She immediately recognized it.
Victor Dalton.
"Where is Sarah?"
Dalton laughed quietly.
"You always ask the wrong question."
"Then give me the right one."
"Are you willing to listen?"
Evelyn took the phone.
"Talk."
"You found the ledger."
"Yes."
"Good."
"You knew we'd find it."