Sarah stared.
"Then why did my father let everyone believe I was dead?"
"Because it was the only way to keep you alive."
Evelyn stepped forward.
"Then why did he die?"
Dalton didn't answer.
"Why?"
Finally, Dalton said:
"Because he broke the agreement."
"What agreement?"
"Your father agreed to disappear with the family records."
"And?"
"He changed his mind."
"Why?"
"Because he discovered what they planned to do with you."
Evelyn felt a chill.
"What did they plan?"
Dalton looked directly at her.
"They wanted to use you as the legal heir to Mercer Holdings."
Evelyn frowned.
"My father didn't own Mercer Holdings."
"He did."
"What?"
Dalton opened another document.
"Your family owned sixty-three percent."
Evelyn stared.
She suddenly understood why so many people had been interested in her.
"Why would they need me?"
"Because you're the only surviving legal heir."
Sarah stepped closer.
"And if Evelyn dies?"
"The company goes into court-controlled receivership."
"Controlled by whom?"
Dalton looked at the ledger.
"The same people who have been controlling the courthouse."
Evelyn's mind raced.
The $10 million.
The documents.
The threats.
The undercover investigation.
It all connected.
"They don't want my silence."
"No."
"They want my signature."
"Exactly."
Sarah looked at her sister.
"On what?"
Dalton answered.
"A transfer of ownership."
Evelyn looked at the documents.
"And if I refuse?"
Dalton's face became grim.
"They'll use Melissa as leverage."
"And if that doesn't work?"
"They'll use Sarah."
Sarah clenched her fists.
"They've already tried."
Dalton shook his head.
"You don't understand."
He looked toward the ceiling.
"They're not waiting until tomorrow."
Evelyn's eyes narrowed.
"Then when?"
Dalton checked his watch.
"Tonight."
A loud alarm suddenly sounded throughout the underground level.
Red lights flashed.
Dalton's face changed.
"They found us."
Sarah grabbed the evidence box.
"How many?"
Dalton listened.
"At least six."
Evelyn looked around.
"Can we escape?"
Dalton pointed toward the far end of the corridor.
"Emergency tunnel."
They ran.
Behind them, doors slammed open.
Men shouted.
A gunshot echoed.
Evelyn grabbed Sarah's hand.
"Keep moving!"
They reached the emergency tunnel.
Dalton entered a code.
The door opened.
But before they could step through, a voice echoed behind them.
"Enough."
Everyone froze.
Thomas Avery stood at the end of the corridor.
Several armed men stood behind him.
He looked directly at Evelyn.
"You've made this much harder than it needed to be."
Evelyn stepped forward.
"What do you want?"
Avery smiled.
"The same thing I've always wanted."
"What?"
"Your signature."
He held up a document.
"Sign this."
Evelyn stared.
"And Melissa walks free."
Avery smiled.
"Exactly."
Sarah stepped forward.
"Don't do it."
Avery raised his hand.
One of his men brought Melissa into the corridor.
Her hands were tied.
Avery looked at Evelyn.
"You have ten minutes."
Evelyn stared at the document.
Then she noticed something.
A tiny camera was attached to the wall behind Avery.
She smiled.
Avery frowned.
"What's funny?"
Evelyn looked directly into the camera.
"Nothing."
She slowly reached for the document.
"Let's make a deal."
Avery smiled.
"I knew you'd understand."
Evelyn took the pen.
But instead of signing, she said:
"I'll give you exactly what you want."
Avery relaxed.
Then Evelyn looked at Sarah.
"Run."
Sarah understood immediately.
She grabbed Melissa.
Dalton slammed the emergency door shut.
And Evelyn threw the document into the nearest evidence incinerator.
Avery screamed.
"No!"
The paper caught fire.
And somewhere above them, the hidden camera continued recording everything.
The document burned quickly.
Thomas Avery stared at the flames as if he had just watched years of planning disappear before his eyes.
"You stupid woman!"
He lunged forward.
Evelyn stepped back.
"You wanted my signature."
"I wanted the original."
"You got neither."
Avery's face twisted with rage.
Behind him, two of his men moved toward Evelyn.
But before they could reach her, the emergency lights flashed.
A loud siren echoed through the underground corridor.
Then came a voice over the speakers.
"Everyone remain where you are."
Avery froze.
Evelyn smiled.
"You're too late."
The voice continued.
"This entire level is being recorded."
Avery looked around.
"Who?"
Evelyn pointed toward the camera.
"Federal investigators."
His face went pale.
Sarah stared at Evelyn.
"You called them?"
"No."
"Then who?"
Evelyn looked at Dalton.
He smiled faintly.
"Me."
Avery turned toward him.
"You."
Dalton stepped backward.
"I told you I wanted out."
"You betrayed me."
"I stopped being afraid of you."
Avery raised his hand.
One of his men reached for his weapon.
A sharp crack echoed through the corridor.
The weapon fell from his hand.
A team of federal agents rushed through the emergency entrance.
"DOWN!"
Everyone dropped.
Avery tried to run.
Two agents tackled him to the floor.
"No!"
He struggled violently.
"You have no idea who you're arresting!"
One agent handcuffed him.
"We know exactly who you are."
Evelyn stood frozen.
For twelve years, she had imagined seeing the people responsible for destroying her family brought to justice.
She had imagined anger.
She had imagined satisfaction.
Instead, she felt exhausted.
Sarah came toward her.
"It's over."
Evelyn looked at her.
"Is it?"
Sarah hesitated.
"I don't know."
Dalton approached.
He looked defeated.
"There's still one problem."
Evelyn turned.
"What?"
"The people above Avery."
"Who?"
Dalton shook his head.
"I never knew all of them."
"But you know some."
"Yes."
"Names."
Dalton looked toward the evidence box.
"Everything you need is in there."
Evelyn opened it.
She pulled out the ledger.
Then another folder.
Inside were photographs.
Judges.
Attorneys.
Police officers.
Business executives.
Politicians.
Some were people she had seen every day.
Others were people she had never met.
But one photograph stopped her cold.
It showed Melissa Grant standing beside a man.
Evelyn stared.
"Who's that?"
Dalton answered.
"Her father."
Evelyn looked closer.
The man was Robert Grant.
Former courthouse administrator.
He had died seven years earlier.
But Evelyn recognized him.
He was one of the men in an old photograph from her father's files.
"What does he have to do with this?"
Dalton looked at Sarah.
"Everything."
Sarah's face became tense.
"Melissa didn't know."
Evelyn looked at her.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"Because I watched her."
Dalton nodded.
"Melissa was used."