Chapter 18 - Checkmate
"Arthur," Bethany called out, her voice echoing in the damp air. It was light, almost conversational, as if they were meeting for coffee rather than a treasonous exchange. "You look terrible. The stress of the job must be getting to you."
Through the monitor in the van, I watched her approach. She stopped ten feet away, flanked by her two bodyguards.
"I have the ledger," Arthur said, his voice surprisingly steady. He held up a thick manila envelope, the shape of the book clearly visible inside. "And the other problem has been dealt with. Your sibling won't be bothering you anymore."
Bethany let out a soft, delighted laugh. It was a chilling sound, devoid of any genuine human emotion. "Excellent. I knew I paid off your gambling debts for a reason. You're efficient when your life depends on it."
In the van, the FBI agent pointed at the screen. "That's one," he murmured. "She admitted to the payoff."
"I want the five million, Bethany," Arthur pressed, taking a half-step forward. "Transferred to the offshore account we agreed upon. I'm not handing over this book until I see the confirmation."
Bethany sighed, pulling a sleek smartphone from her pocket. "Always so transactional, Arthur. You lack vision. But fine. You earned your severance package."
She tapped the screen a few times, holding it up so Arthur could see the "Transfer Complete" notification. "Now, hand it over. My flight to Geneva leaves in three hours, and I want to watch that little black book burn before I board."
"Why the rush?" Arthur asked, gripping the envelope tightly. "Your parents took the fall for everything. The cops think you're a saint. You practically own the city now."
Bethany sneered, her mask of civility slipping to reveal the venom underneath. "Because my father was an idiot. He kept records of every politician we bought, every business we bankrupted, every life we ruined. If the feds ever found that book, my immunity deal would vanish. I’d be in a cell right next to him. I ran this empire better in the last twelve months than he did in a decade, and I'm not going to let a dusty old ledger take me down."
"That's two," the FBI agent whispered, his hand hovering over the radio button. "She admitted to running the syndicate."
"And the sibling?" Arthur pushed, leaning into the trap. "You really wanted your own flesh and blood dead just to secure the trust?"
May you like
Bethany’s eyes went cold, lifeless. "Family is a liability. They were weak. They were going to drag me down. Killing them wasn't just necessary, Arthur. It was a pleasure."
The FBI agent slammed his hand down on the radio. "Move in! Move in! We have the confession!"
