Chapter 18 - The Reckoning at Dawn
The penthouse suite of the Mercer Development Group occupied the top floor of a gleaming glass skyscraper overlooking the James River in Richmond.
At seven o’clock in the morning, the corporate offices were completely silent except for the cleaning staff. But on the thirty-second floor, the lights were burning bright. Julian Mercer sat at his mahogany conference table surrounded by empty coffee cups, shredded documents, and three large duffel bags packed with overseas travel gear.
The elevator doors chimed and slid open.
Julian didn't even look up, rubbing his bloodshot eyes. "Did he burn the cellar? Tell me that goddamn ridge is gone—"
Julian froze.
Nathan stepped out of the elevator first, his suit dirty, his face covered in cuts and soot, his massive frame blocking the entire corridor. Behind him, walking with the steady, unyielding cadence of her walking stick, came Evelyn Mercer.
And at her heel, with a bandaged head and eyes burning like twin suns of vengeance, walked Knox.
Julian’s skin turned the color of chalk. He scrambled backward in his leather executive chair, nearly knocking it to the floor. "You... you’re dead! He said he trapped you both in the barn!"
"Your hired thug had bad aim, Julian," I said, my voice echoing off the floor-to-ceiling glass windows.
I tossed the gold-crested key fob across the polished wood table. It slid to a halt right in front of his trembling hands.
"You crossed the line," I whispered, stepping closer until only the width of the table separated us. "You tried to murder my dog. You tried to burn down the home that Thomas built with his bare hands. You tried to erase me."
"I was trying to save our family!" Julian shrieked, his voice cracking into hysterical terror as Nathan walked to the door and locked it from the inside. "Vanguard canceled the contracts an hour ago! The federal marshals issued a subpoena for my bank accounts! If I don't leave the country by noon, I’m going to prison for thirty years!"
"You're not leaving the country, Julian," Nathan said, crossing his arms, his face an impenetrable mask of iron.
The side door to the executive office clicked open. Richard and Victoria Mercer walked into the room, both carrying leather luggage, stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of us.
Victoria gasped, dropping her handbag onto the carpet. "Evelyn! What is the meaning of this? Call the building security at once!"
"Building security is currently downstairs escorting the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service into the lobby, Mother," I said without looking at her.
Richard’s knees gave out. He collapsed into a side chair, burying his face in his hands, weeping openly. "It’s over, Victoria. It’s all over. I told you... I told you she was stronger than him."
"Shut up, Richard!" Victoria screamed, her voice shrill with unhinged rage. She lunged toward me, her manicured nails aimed at my face. "You ruined my son! You ruined our name! You were supposed to die in that desert twelve years ago!"
Before she could touch me, Knox let out a deafening, terrifying bark that shook the glass windows, stepping between us with his fangs bared. Victoria shrieked and fell backward against the wall, clutching her pearls, trembling in terror.
"You never had a name, Victoria," I said, looking down at the woman who had brought me into this world only to hate me for refusing to bow. "You had money, you had pride, and you had a mountain of lies. And today, the bill came due."
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The heavy fire doors of the corridor banged open, and the heavy, synchronized footsteps of federal tactical officers echoed down the marble hallway.
The reckoning had finally arrived.