Part 11
The roar of Victor’s ruined engine faded into the distance,
replaced once more by the steady,
rhythmic hum of our own craft.
The river began to widen,
the steep rocky walls giving way to low,
marshy flatlands that signaled our approach to the valley.
The rain was finally beginning to slacken,
the heavy sheets turning into a fine,
misty drizzle that hung low over the water.
Lily let out a long,
shaky breath,
her body finally relaxing against the leather seat,
as the immediate danger receded.
"Is it really over?"
she asked,
her eyes searching my face,
looking for the certainty she had lost weeks ago.
"The danger is past,
Lily,"
I said,
keeping my eyes on the distant horizon,
where the first faint lights of the town were appearing.
"The financial records I uploaded will ensure,
that Victor,
Marianne,
and Julian spend the rest of their lives behind bars.
They can't touch you anymore,
and they can't touch your grandfather’s legacy."
She reached over,
placing her small,
cold hand over mine on the steering wheel,
a silent gesture of gratitude that meant more than any words.
"Thank you,
Dad,"
she whispered,
a tear slipping down her cheek,
"For not giving up on me."
"Never,"
I replied,
squeezing her hand gently,
"A father never stops looking for his child."
We approached the federal marina,
its long wooden docks illuminated by bright,
white spotlights that cut through the morning mist.
Several dark sedans were parked along the waterfront,
their emergency lights flashing blue and red,
casting a vibrant glow across the wet asphalt.
A group of men in dark suits,
bearing the insignias of federal law enforcement,
stood waiting at the main slip.
I brought the boat alongside the dock,
shifting the engine into reverse to slow our momentum,
until the hull touched the rubber bumpers with a soft thud.
An older man,
his hair silver,
his trench coat damp from the rain,
stepped forward to secure the lines.
It was Marcus,
my old partner from my days in the financial crimes division,
the one man I knew I could trust implicitly.
"You look like hell,
Daniel,"
Marcus said,
a small,
grim smile touching his lips,
as he helped Lily onto the sturdy wooden dock.
"I’ve had a busy night,
Marcus,"
I replied,
stepping out of the boat,
and feeling the solid ground beneath my feet for the first time in hours.
"Did the data packet go through?"
"Every byte of it,"
Marcus nodded,
motioning toward the waiting sedans,
"Our tech guys are already drafting the warrants.
Avalon Holdings is finished,
and Victor’s assets are being seized as we speak."
He looked at Lily,
giving her a warm,
fatherly nod,
"We have a medical team waiting inside the office,
just to make sure you're alright,
young lady."
"I'm fine,"
Lily said,
though her voice was weary,
"I just want to go home."
"Soon,"
I promised her,
wrapping my jacket around her shoulders,
"Very soon."
As Marcus led her toward the building,
he lingered behind for a moment,
turning back to face me in the dim light of the marina.
"What about Marianne?"
he asked,
his voice dropping to a low whisper,
"She wasn't at the estate,
and our agents haven't located her at the city apartment."
My eyes narrowed,
the cold investigator within me instantly awakening,
realizing that the snake’s head had not yet been severed.
"She’s running,"
I said,
May you like
looking out over the dark water,
"But she has nowhere left to go."
