Chapter 4 - The Dead Man's Ledger
Julian froze completely as the shocking revelation washed over him.
Camille's husband had supposedly died in a random, tragic car accident three years ago.
She had always claimed he was a simple accountant for a small logistics firm in Chicago.
"I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about," Camille spat, refusing to break eye contact with Bennett.
Bennett laughed coldly and slapped her across the face with his uninjured hand.
Julian's blood boiled with a violent, murderous rage, but he forced himself to stay hidden.
If he fired through the grate now, the ricochet could easily hit Camille.
"Your husband was the chief money launderer for the Sosa cartel," Bennett explained with a cruel smile.
"He stole a digital ledger containing the access codes to over two billion dollars in offshore accounts," Bennett continued.
Julian realized Bennett was planning to use that money to stage a massive coup within the criminal underworld.
"He hid it before my men ran his car off the bridge," Bennett said, leaning in dangerously close to Camille.
"We know he sent it to you, and I am going to tear this house down to the foundation to find it," Bennett threatened.
Elsie tugged gently on the sleeve of Julian's shirt.
Julian looked down, keeping his flashlight pointed at the floor.
The little girl was using her green crayon to draw a crude, jagged square on the dusty floorboards.
She looked up at Julian and tapped the center of the drawn square twice with her tiny finger.
Julian realized with a sudden, staggering clarity that the child knew exactly what Bennett was looking for.
Her father hadn't hidden the billions of dollars with his wife.
He had hidden the encrypted drive inside one of his daughter's favorite toys.
Before Julian could formulate a plan, the main doors of the office burst open.
Four heavily armed mercenaries dragged two of Julian's bleeding, unconscious bodyguards into the room.
"Sir, we cannot find the boss or the kid anywhere on the grounds," one of the mercenaries reported.
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Bennett grabbed Camille by the hair and yanked her head back aggressively.
"Find the child right now, or I will start cutting pieces off her mother," Bennett ordered.
