Chapter 22 - The Woman Beside the Jet
The private jet never departed Seattle.
It couldn't.
My father had grounded every Sterling aircraft before Parker reached the runway.
But the aircraft in Parker's photograph wasn't ours.
It belonged to Halcyon Meridian Holdings, a private investment company registered in Luxembourg.
Adrian recognized the name immediately.
“My father mentioned Halcyon.”
“When?”
“In journals I found after my mother died.”
He opened his laptop.
“Daniel believed Halcyon was one of Richard Crawford's laundering vehicles.”
My security director entered.
“We located the aircraft.”
“Where?”
“Boeing Field.”
“Parker?”
“Gone.”
“Eleanor?”
“Gone.”
Of course.
The photograph had been bait.
They wanted us looking at the airport.
“What about the pilots?”
“No crew ever boarded.”
I smiled coldly.
“Then Parker isn't running.”
My father looked at me.
“What do you mean?”
“He wants us to think he's running.”
I walked toward the enormous digital map covering the security room wall.
“Parker knows our protocols. He knows how we respond to an international escape.”
Adrian understood immediately.
“So while we're watching airports, borders, and private terminals…”
“He stays close.”
My phone rang.
It was an unknown Seattle number.
I answered.
A woman's voice whispered.
“Vivienne?”
I recognized it instantly.
Chloe.
She was crying.
“Please don't hang up.”
“What do you want?”
“My mother is gone.”
“I know.”
“No, you don't understand.”
Her breathing became ragged.
“She left me a letter.”
“What did it say?”
Silence.
Then Chloe whispered:
“She said Dominic was never supposed to marry you.”
I stopped breathing.
“What?”
“He was supposed to make you trust him.”
My hand tightened around the phone.
“And then?”
May you like
Chloe began sobbing.
“And then you were supposed to die.”
