Chapter 19 - Daniel Hawthorne's ConfessionDaniel had lied.
Not about Charles.
About Elias.
The truth came out at 3:17 the next morning.
Daniel asked Ronan to meet privately.
Sadie came anyway.
Daniel did not object.
“I gave Marsh Elias's location.”
Ronan went completely still.
Sadie felt the blood leave her face.
“What?”
Daniel began crying.
Twenty-seven years earlier, the Crown had threatened Charles.
Daniel's son had been young then.
Reckless.
Already involved in illegal operations.
The Crown gave Daniel a choice.
Provide information about Elias.
Or Charles would be killed.
Daniel chose his son.
He leaked one location.
He believed Marsh would frighten Elias.
Force him into hiding.
Instead, Marsh sent gunmen.
Sadie stood so quickly her chair fell.
“You killed him.”
“I know.”
“You sat in this house.”
“I know.”
“You looked at my daughter.”
Daniel did not defend himself.
Sadie struck him.
Ronan did nothing to stop her.
Then she struck him again.
“You knew he had a baby coming.”
“Yes.”
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
Her voice broke.
“Why are you still alive?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Because every morning for seven years, I've asked the same question.”
Sadie wanted to hate him.
She did hate him.
But there was something unbearable about a man who did not ask for forgiveness.
Ronan finally spoke.
“Why tell us now?”
“Because Charles knows.”
Daniel looked toward the window.
“He has spent his entire life believing I chose everyone else over him.”
Sadie laughed bitterly.
“You murdered Elias to save him.”
“And it still wasn't enough.”
Daniel wiped his face.
“That's what fear does. It convinces you that one terrible thing will prevent another.”
Ronan looked away.
The words landed somewhere personal.
Daniel continued.
“Charles wants me because I am the only witness who can prove he inherited the Crown willingly.”
“What proof?”
“My testimony.”
“No.”
Daniel shook his head.
“My blood.”
Everyone stared.
The Crown's original accounts had been protected by biometric authorization from the founding families.
Daniel could still access one final reserve.
Nearly four billion dollars.
Charles needed him alive.
Ronan understood.
“We let him think you're coming.”
Sadie looked at him.
“Trap?”
“Trap.”
Daniel nodded.
“No.”
Ronan frowned.
Daniel smiled sadly.
“For once, let me choose what happens.”
The exchange was arranged at the old Ashport rail terminal.
Daniel walked alone.
Charles emerged.
Father and son faced each other beneath broken lights.
“You came,” Charles said.
Daniel answered:
“I should have come for you thirty years ago.”
Charles's expression shifted.
For the first time, Sadie saw not a criminal mastermind.
A wounded son.
Then the moment vanished.
Charles raised a gun.
Daniel did not move.
“I loved you,” Daniel said.
“You loved everyone except me.”
“No.”
“I destroyed myself trying to become the kind of man you respected.”
Daniel's eyes filled.
“I respected Elias because he refused to become what we were.”
Charles laughed.
“And there it is.”
He pointed the gun at his father's chest.
“Even now.”
Ronan's team waited.
Federal agents waited.
Daniel had to move two steps left to clear the shot.
He did not.
Instead, he approached Charles.
His son trembled.
“Stop.”
Daniel kept walking.
“Stop!”
“I am sorry.”
Charles fired.
Daniel fell.
Ronan's men moved.
Charles ran.
Sadie reached Daniel first.
Blood spread beneath him.
He looked at her.
“I'm sorry.”
Sadie pressed both hands against the wound.
“Don't apologize. Breathe.”
“For Elias.”
“Breathe!”
Daniel smiled faintly.
“I should have chosen courage.”
Then his eyes closed.
He survived.
Barely.
Charles escaped through the rail tunnels.
But he left something behind.
His phone.
On it was one unsent message.
TO: M. CAIN.
Ronan looked at Maeve.
She went pale.
May you like
The message read:
YOU PROMISED ME RONAN WOULD DIE.
Related Stories
