Chapter 5 - The Locked Tower
Upstairs in the west wing, the storm roared against the tall leaded glass windows of the locked suite.
Vanessa paced back and forth across the Persian rug like a caged panther. Her expensive dress was rumpled, her hair was coming loose from its tight bun, and her polished fingernails were bitten down to the quick.
A loud click echoed through the room as the heavy oak door unlocked and swung open.
Julien stepped into the room, holding the micro-USB drive between his thumb and forefinger. Dante stood behind him, his tall frame completely blocking the open doorway.
Vanessa stopped pacing, her eyes locking onto the small silver drive in Julien's hand.
"You found it," she whispered, her voice stripped of all its former confidence.
"Sit down, Vanessa," Julien said flatly, pointing toward a high-backed velvet armchair near the cold fireplace.
"Julien, you don't understand what you're dealing with," Vanessa begged, stepping toward him, her hands clasped together in desperate plea. "You think I'm the monster here? You think I wanted to lock that little girl in the freezer?"
"You locked a seven-year-old child in a freezer because she found the proof of your crimes!" Julien roared, stepping forward so fast Vanessa stumbled backward into the chair.
"I locked her in there because I was panicking!" Vanessa cried out, tears finally streaming down her face, ruining her makeup. "I knew if she showed you that picture, if you found that drive, they would know I failed!"
Julien stopped. His eyes narrowed. "'They'? Who is 'they', Vanessa?"
Vanessa buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking with violent, terrified sobs.
"Eleanor didn't steal that eight million dollars for herself, Julien," Vanessa whispered, looking up through bloodshot, frantic eyes. "She stole it because she was being blackmailed by the Syndicate in Geneva! They threatened to kill you! They threatened to kill Lily before she was even born!"
Julien felt a sudden, icy shock wash down his spine. "What are you talking about?"
"Eleanor discovered that your executive board at Sterling Shipping was laundering money for the Vane Cartel through your European routes," Vanessa revealed, her words tumbling out in a frantic flood. "When she tried to go to the federal authorities in 2018, they cornered her in Sorrento. They told her if she didn't help them drain eight million dollars from your foundation to cover their accounting losses, they would ensure your car went over the cliff!"
"And what was your role, Vanessa?" Julien asked, his voice shaking with a terrifying mixture of grief and anger.
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Vanessa dropped her head, her voice bare barely audible above the howling wind outside.
"I was the operative they sent to monitor her," Vanessa confessed softly. "I was Eleanor's handler. But... I grew to love her, Julien. She was my friend. And when her car went off that road... I knew I was next."
