Chapter 15 - Evelyn Wears the Wire
Evelyn agreed to wear the wire because fear had finally run out of places to hide.
Ortiz chose a closed restaurant owned by one of Richard's friends. Police filled the kitchen and the empty shops next door.
Evelyn sat alone at a table near the window.
I watched from a monitor in the back room.
Daniel stood beside me.
"She looks scared," he said.
"She should be."
He nodded.
At 9:06, Victor walked in.
No coat. No briefcase. No visible weapon.
He sat across from Evelyn and smiled.
"You look terrible."
"You tried to run me off the road."
"If I wanted you dead, Evelyn, we wouldn't be talking."
Ortiz muttered, "Keep talking, idiot."
Evelyn's voice trembled. "The police know about Bellhaven. They know about Denise. They know Daniel is yours."
Victor leaned back.
"Daniel isn't mine. Biology is a receipt, not a relationship. Richard raised him."
Daniel stared at the screen.
That line hurt him. I saw it.
Victor continued, "You were always too emotional about the boy. That's why you were useful."
Evelyn swallowed. "You forged his signatures."
"Some."
"You used Claire's identity."
"You gave me the tax folder."
"You told me to frame her."
Victor smiled. "And you enjoyed it more than you should have."
Evelyn looked down.
Even trapped, she couldn't escape herself.
Then she asked the question Ortiz had coached her to ask.
"Where are the original ledgers?"
Victor's smile disappeared.
"Why?"
"I need to know they're safe."
"No. You need to know whether the police can find them."
He reached across the table.
For one terrible second, I thought he had spotted the wire.
Instead, he lifted Evelyn's necklace.
The microphone sat beneath the collar of her blouse.
Victor's eyes moved toward the back room.
"Hello, Detective Ortiz."
Every officer moved at once.
Victor kicked the table over and ran through the kitchen.
I heard shouting, metal crashing, a door slamming.
Ortiz yelled, "Stay here!"
Then the lights went out.
Emergency bulbs flickered red.
Daniel grabbed my arm.
A voice came from the dark behind us.
Victor.
"Nobody move."
I turned slowly.
He had slipped through a service hallway.
And this time, the gun was pointed directly at Daniel.
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