Chapter 6 - THE DECOY
The cold metal of the handcuffs bit into my wrists. I looked at Julian, expecting him to fight for me, to present the ledger.
Instead, Julian’s expression was completely blank. He walked over to Eleanor and handed her the leather-bound book. "You were right, Eleanor. She manipulated me. She's unstable."
My heart shattered. I had trusted him. I had risked everything.
Eleanor’s smile widened victoriously as she took the ledger. "I’ll handle the board meeting tomorrow, Julian. You focus on your daughter."
As the officer shoved me into the back of the cruiser, I felt a hard, sharp object slide into my apron pocket. I gasped, looking up. Julian hadn't pushed me out of anger; he had used the momentum to slip something into my uniform.
The cruiser pulled away, leaving the estate behind. The officer driving didn't turn on the sirens. In fact, he bypassed the precinct entirely.
He pulled into a deserted alleyway, put the car in park, and turned around, taking off his cap.
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"Your mother saved my life in Zurich," the officer said quietly, tossing the handcuff keys into my lap. "Mr. Vance told me to keep you safe. Now, what did he slip into your pocket?"
I reached into my apron and pulled out a small, encrypted USB drive. The ledger was a decoy. Julian had given me the real weapon.
