Chapter 11 - THE NIGHT MAXWELL BENNETT CHOSE A CHILD OVER HIS EMPIRE|
At eleven forty-five, Maxwell Bennett stood in front of a mirror and removed his gold watch.
He placed it beside his wedding ring.
Then he took off the heavy black coat that usually made him look like a man approaching a business negotiation rather than a dangerous confrontation.
I watched from the doorway.
"What are you doing?"
He turned.
"Getting ready."
"For what?"
"To end this."
My chest tightened.
"You can't go alone."
"Adrian demanded it."
"And you believe he'll keep his word?"
"No."
Maxwell slipped the ring into his pocket.
"But if I don't go, they'll believe we're refusing the exchange."
I stepped forward.
"Then I'm coming."
"Katherine."
"That's my daughter."
His expression softened.
"I know."
"No, I don't think you do."
I took a breath.
"You can replace money."
"You can rebuild a company."
"You can lose every building you own and still wake up tomorrow."
My voice broke.
"But I can't replace Lily."
Maxwell moved toward me.
"I have no intention of asking you to."
"Then let me come."
He was silent.
Finally, he nodded.
"You're staying with Agent Hayes until we know Lily's location."
I hated the compromise.
But it was something.
Downstairs, Hayes was briefing the rescue team.
Federal agents had established a discreet perimeter around the waterfront property.
Emergency medical personnel were nearby.
Daniel had helped identify security staff who might be working for Victor.
And every decision was being made with one purpose.
Bring Lily home alive.
Hayes looked at Maxwell when he entered.
"You're prepared to cooperate?"
"Yes."
"Even if that means providing evidence about your own activities?"
Maxwell nodded.
"Everything relevant."
She studied him.
"You understand what you're agreeing to?"
"Perfectly."
For a moment, I saw the cost of that answer.
Maxwell was turning over information that could destroy the empire he'd spent half his life building.
He wasn't pretending it would be easy.
He was simply doing it anyway.
At eleven fifty-eight, we reached the waterfront.
Snow fell in thick, wet flakes.
The harbor lights reflected across the black water.
From the car, I could see the outline of Pier Thirty-Eight.
It looked deserted.
But somewhere nearby, men were watching.
Maxwell stepped out.
His phone rang immediately.
Julian.
"You're late."
"I'm here."
"Where are the files?"
"In a secure location."
Julian laughed.
"Still negotiating?"
"Show me the girl."
A pause.
Then a video connection opened.
Lily sat in a wooden chair.
She was crying quietly, but she appeared uninjured.
Camille stood beside her.
Adrian watched from the background.
My heart broke at the sight.
"Lily," I whispered.
Maxwell's expression hardened.
"I want her released before anything changes hands."
Julian shook his head.
"You're in no position to make demands."
Maxwell looked directly into the camera.
"Then let me make an offer."
Julian smiled.
"I'm listening."
"I will surrender controlling ownership of Bennett Holdings to a court-supervised trust while the investigation proceeds."
The smile vanished.
"What?"
"You want my empire?"
Maxwell's voice remained calm.
"Then you can watch me dismantle it."
Julian stared.
"You wouldn't."
"Try me."
Adrian stepped closer to the camera.
"Maxwell, be reasonable."
"I've spent twenty years protecting businesses that became more important to me than the people they were supposed to serve."
He looked toward Lily.
"That ends tonight."
Julian's expression twisted.
"You're throwing away everything our father wanted."
"Our father wanted us to survive."
Maxwell's eyes darkened.
"He didn't teach us to destroy families."
"Spare me the speech."
Julian moved closer.
"You always thought you were better than me."
"No."
Maxwell's voice softened.
"I thought I could save you."
For a moment, Julian looked almost wounded.
Then his expression hardened again.
"Bring the evidence to the warehouse."
The connection ended.
Maxwell returned to the vehicle.
Hayes looked toward him.
"We have enough to proceed with the planned rescue operation."
"Then do it."
Her radio crackled.
Teams were moving into position.
I gripped my hands together.
Every second felt unbearable.
Then a terrible sound came from the waterfront.
An alarm.
It echoed across the deserted pier.
Hayes's expression changed.
"Someone spotted the approach."
Maxwell looked toward the warehouse.
"Julian knows."
The radio filled with urgent voices.
A vehicle was moving away from the rear of the property.
Agents were redirecting to intercept it.
But the warehouse's red door suddenly opened.
A man stumbled outside.
Victor Kane.
He held a telephone in one hand and looked terrified.
Maxwell stared.
"Victor."
The security chief saw him.
For a moment, neither man moved.
Then Victor shouted.
"They're moving the girl!"
Maxwell stepped forward.
"Where?"
Victor pointed toward the adjoining building.
"Through the old passage!"
Hayes ordered him to stop and show his hands.
Victor obeyed.
His face was pale.
"I didn't know they were going to take a child."
Maxwell's voice was cold.
"You knew they were going to kill me."
Victor lowered his head.
"Yes."
"And you knew about Isabelle."
Victor closed his eyes.
"Yes."
The confession struck Maxwell visibly.
For six years, he'd trusted this man with the memory of his wife.
Now Victor stood before him admitting that he had helped destroy her.
"Why?"
Victor swallowed.
"Julian promised me everything."
"What everything?"
"Money."
"Power."
"Control of the company."
Maxwell stared at him.
"And was it worth it?"
Victor's eyes filled.
"No."
Hayes's team took him into custody.
But before they led him away, Victor looked toward Maxwell.
"There's something you need to know."
Maxwell didn't move.
"Speak."
"Julian isn't planning to let Adrian leave tonight."
The statement changed everything.
"Why?"
"Because Adrian kept copies of the evidence."
Maxwell looked toward the warehouse.
"Where's Lily?"
Victor hesitated.
"Adrian moved her into the insurance building."
"And Julian?"
"He went after them."
Hayes's radio sounded again.
A team had entered the lower level.
They had found evidence that the building had recently been occupied.
But Lily wasn't in the room.
Then a woman's voice came over an intercepted emergency call from the property.
"Please, there's a child here."
I recognized the accent.
Camille.
Hayes looked up.
The woman was asking for help.
Behind her, a little girl was crying.
I grabbed Maxwell's arm.
"That's Lily."
He stared toward the dark building.
Hayes contacted the nearest rescue team.
For several unbearable moments, nobody spoke.
Then the radio crackled.
"We have visual contact with two civilians."
My knees nearly gave way.
"Is it her?"
Hayes listened.
The next words shattered the silence.
"Female child, approximately ten years old, matching the description."
I began crying.
"Thank God."
But before anyone could celebrate, another voice came through the radio.
"Additional adult male approaching the civilians."
A pause.
Then shouting.
Maxwell's face changed.
"Julian."
The radio crackled again.
The agent's voice became urgent.
"The suspect is demanding that the child be brought with him."
I felt as though the harbor had swallowed every breath in my body.
Maxwell stepped toward Hayes.
"Let me speak to him."
She hesitated.
"He's your brother."
"Exactly."
Maxwell looked toward the building.
"He came here because he wants something from me."
Hayes studied him.
Then she made her decision.
"Only with our officers controlling the situation."
Maxwell nodded.
He took the communications handset.
"Julian."
For a moment, there was silence.
Then his brother answered.
"You're ruining everything."
Maxwell closed his eyes.
"No."
He looked toward the warehouse.
"I'm trying to save the only thing that still matters."
Julian laughed bitterly.
"And what would that be?"
Maxwell's voice broke.
"A little girl who trusted me enough to answer my phone."
May you like
Then he said the words I would remember for the rest of my life.
"Take every dollar I own, Julian, but let Katherine's daughter come home."
