Chapter 17 - THE SHERIFF’S LIE
Elise did not go alone.
She told Reeves she would meet him at an abandoned paper mill outside Stamford.
Then she contacted the federal agent assigned to the case.
Special Agent Monica Shaw listened to the recording twice.
“We don’t know what this proves.”
“It proves Daniel was with Jonathan.”
“Maybe.”
“He never told me.”
“That worries me more.”
Rebecca insisted on staying near Elise.
At six fifteen that evening, Elise entered the mill wearing a hidden transmitter.
Reeves stood beneath a broken skylight.
Thomas sat nearby.
Alive.
Bruised.
Untied.
Elise stopped.
“What is this?”
Reeves held up his hands.
“Please listen.”
Thomas looked exhausted.
“They released me.”
“Why?”
“They wanted me to deliver a message.”
Elise turned toward Reeves.
“And your message?”
He exhaled.
“Jonathan recruited me.”
“What?”
“Before I became sheriff, I worked financial crimes for the state police.”
“You knew about the laundering.”
“Some of it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Jonathan asked me not to.”
Elise laughed sharply.
“My husband has been dead four years. That promise expired.”
Reeves looked ashamed.
“He believed someone inside law enforcement was compromised.”
“Who?”
“We never identified them.”
Elise pulled out her phone.
“And this?”
She played Jonathan’s recording.
Daniel closed his eyes.
“That conversation happened six days before he died.”
“What did you want?”
“To convince him to disappear.”
“Why?”
“Because Helena had discovered he was collecting evidence.”
Thomas spoke.
“Daniel offered Jonathan witness protection.”
Elise stared.
“And Jonathan refused?”
“He wouldn’t leave you and June without telling you.”
Reeves stepped closer.
“He said he needed forty-eight hours.”
“Then he died.”
“Yes.”
The old mill suddenly erupted with light.
Floodlights snapped on.
Federal agents rushed through the doors.
Agent Shaw entered.
“Elise, move away from Reeves.”
Daniel looked confused.
“What?”
Shaw raised her weapon.
“Daniel Reeves, you’re under arrest.”
Elise froze.
“For what?”
Shaw’s expression was cold.
“Obstruction of a federal investigation and conspiracy to conceal evidence.”
Reeves stared at her.
“You’ve got the wrong person.”
“Hands behind your back.”
As agents cuffed him, Daniel looked directly at Elise.
“Do not trust her.”
Shaw shoved him toward another agent.
“Elise, ignore him.”
Daniel shouted again.
“ASK HER ABOUT MICHAEL!”
Elise’s heart stopped.
Her father.
Agent Shaw’s face changed for barely a second.
But Elise saw it.
Then Thomas whispered beside her:
“We need to leave.”
Shaw turned.
“Mr. Keene, you’re coming with us.”
Thomas stepped backward.
“No.”
Two agents grabbed him.
Elise suddenly understood.
The federal raid had happened too quickly.
Too perfectly.
Only three people knew where the meeting would occur.
Elise.
Rebecca.
Agent Shaw.
Elise backed toward the exit.
Shaw noticed.
“Elise?”
“You knew my father?”
Shaw said nothing.
“Daniel said ask you about Michael.”
“Elise, this isn’t the place.”
“Did you know him?”
Shaw approached.
Elise stepped away.
Thomas shouted.
“RUN!”
A gunshot exploded.
One of the federal agents collapsed.
Chaos erupted.
Thomas slammed his shoulder into another man.
Reeves tackled an agent despite being handcuffed.
Elise ran.
Rebecca’s car screamed into the parking lot.
Elise jumped inside.
They sped away.
Behind them, Agent Monica Shaw stood beneath the floodlights.
Watching.
Not chasing.
And Elise finally understood Jonathan’s warning.
May you like
Helena was not the head of the operation.
Someone above her had been protecting it for decades.
