Chapter 8 - THE MASTER'S MOVE
Arthur froze.
The cruel confidence melted from his face instantly as the cold steel of Silas's barrel pressed against his skull.
Margaret whipped her revolver around, aiming at Silas.
"What are you doing?" Margaret yelled over the rotors. "Put it down!"
Silas didn't blink. He kept his eyes on me.
"You were right, Clara," Silas shouted over the noise. "I came for the ledger. Arthur paid me to find the leak, but why should I settle for a paycheck when I can take the whole offshore account for myself?"
Arthur swallowed hard, his hands trembling. "Silas, I can double your fee. Whatever she promised you—"
"She didn't promise me anything," Silas interrupted. "She just reminded me that you are a liability. You leave loose ends, Arthur. Like your son. Like the maid. I don't leave loose ends."
Silas grabbed the silver briefcase from Arthur’s trembling hand.
"Margaret," Arthur pleaded. "Shoot him!"
Margaret’s hands wavered.
For the first time in her life, the great Margaret Hale was trapped. If she shot Silas, Silas’s reflex would pull the trigger and kill Arthur. The man paying her.
I kept moving forward.
"Silas," I called out. "You take that briefcase, you're a target for every alphabet agency on the planet. The money is marked."
"I'll take my chances," Silas sneered.
He stepped backward, pulling Arthur with him as a human shield toward the open door of the chopper.
"I'm leaving," Silas announced. "Margaret, drop your gun."
Margaret hesitated.
"I said drop it!" Silas roared, pressing his gun harder into Arthur.
Slowly, Margaret lowered her revolver to the grass.
Silas smiled.
He shoved Arthur forward, sending the billionaire stumbling to the ground, and turned to jump into the helicopter.
That was his mistake.
He took his eyes off me for one second.
I sprinted across the lawn.
I didn't go for Silas. I went for the ground.
I slid across the damp grass, grabbing Margaret’s discarded revolver.
I rolled up to one knee, aiming directly at the helicopter.
Silas turned, raising his weapon.
We both fired at the same time.
I felt the hot wind of a bullet graze my cheek, slicing a burning line across my skin.
My shot didn't miss.
It hit Silas squarely in the shoulder.
He spun violently, dropping his gun and the briefcase onto the manicured grass. He fell backward into the cabin of the helicopter, screaming in pain.
Before I could stand, the helicopter engine suddenly roared louder.
The pilot, panicked by the gunfire, slammed the throttle.
The chopper lifted off abruptly, banking hard to the left.
Silas, bleeding and off-balance, desperately grabbed the edge of the doorway.
He looked down at me as the aircraft ascended into the night sky, abandoning the briefcase, abandoning the fight.
He was gone.
The north lawn suddenly fell dead silent, save for the wind dying down.
I stood up, keeping the revolver aimed at Arthur, who was still groveling on the grass.
Margaret stood a few feet away, her hands empty.
She looked at me, then at the silver briefcase on the ground.
"You won, Clara," Margaret said quietly. "You actually beat me."
"I didn't want to beat you, Margaret," I said, my voice heavy with exhaustion. "I just wanted to be left alone."
Arthur scrambled to his knees. "Clara, please. I have money. I can give you whatever you want."
"I don't want your money," I said.
Flashing red and blue lights suddenly illuminated the trees at the edge of the lawn.
Sirens tore through the quiet night.
Vanessa and Ethan hadn't just run. They had found the police.
Cruisers tore up the gravel driveway, doors flying open. Officers poured out, weapons drawn, spotlighting the lawn.
"Drop the weapon!" an officer screamed at me.
I didn't hesitate. I placed the revolver gently on the grass and raised my hands.
Ethan broke through the line of police officers, running toward me.
"Don't shoot her!" Ethan yelled at the cops. "She's the one who saved us! Arrest him!"
He pointed directly at his father.
Arthur looked up at his son, his face pale and pathetic.
"Ethan, please," Arthur begged. "I'm your family."
"No," Ethan said coldly, his voice ringing with finality. "David was my family. And you killed him."
Officers moved in, grabbing Arthur by the arms and forcing him into cuffs.
I looked over at Margaret.
She gave me a slow, respectful nod.
May you like
Then she turned and walked calmly toward the police to surrender.
The nightmare was over.
