Chapter 993
Liam hesitated. His eyes moved to Alistair, then back to Skye. “I received a dossier. An anonymous drop at my office this morning. It detailed a planned ambush at that location.”
“You trust anonymous drops now?” Skye asked, stepping closer. “Or are you negotiating with terrorists, Liam?”
“I’m trying to keep you alive!” Liam shouted, his composure fracturing. “It’s a kill box, Skye. Gemma isn’t just a grifter. The people backing her have mercenaries up there. They’re waiting for you. They want to make an example — a hiking accident.”
“If you know this,” Skye said, her voice dropping to something lethal and quiet, “then help me shut down her foundation. Help me arrest her for fraud.”
“I can’t,” Liam said, lowering his head. “Not yet. The dossier came with photographs. Of my grandmother. Of Kensington accounts. Implicit threats. If I move against them publicly, they destroy my family.”
“So you’re scared,” Skye said.
𝗕𝖾 𝘁𝗵𝖾 𝘧𝗂𝗿𝘴𝗍 t𝗈 𝗿𝘦a𝗱 𝗼𝗇 𝗴a𝗹𝘯o𝘷е𝗅𝘀.𝘤𝗼𝗺
“I’m cautious,” Liam corrected. “There are players here bigger than both of us, Skye. The Graves family history — it’s darker than you know.”
“My family name is already destroyed, Liam,” Skye said, pulling her arm away. “I’m building a new one.”
She turned to Parker. “Trace the origin of the dossier Liam received. I want to know who sent it.”
“Skye, don’t,” Liam pleaded.
“Get out, Liam,” Skye said. “Before I have security throw you out.”
Liam looked at her, pain and frustration warring in his expression. Then he turned and left.
Parker’s fingers flew across the keyboard. “I’m backtracing the digital signature on the file Liam forwarded to his private server. It’s heavily masked, but the signal bounce…” He paused. “It originated here.”
He pointed to a spot on the map.
“The Vance Estate,” Skye said. “Julian?”
“Maybe,” Parker said. “Or someone hiding near the Vance Estate.”
Skye studied the map. Dead Man’s Peak sat close to the Vance land. Liam’s warning had come from near the Vance land.
“It’s a misdirection,” Skye said. “Gemma is the bait at the Peak. But the real player — the real control center — is closer to home.”
“So we don’t go to the Peak?” Alistair asked.
“No.” Skye smiled — a cold, predatory curve of her lips. “We do exactly what they expect. But we change the audience.”
She turned to Parker. “Leak the itinerary. Post it on my official account. ‘Skye Sterling to lead search for lost family artifacts at Dead Man’s Peak.’ Invite the press. Tell them I’m going to find the truth.”
“You want to bring the paparazzi to a kill zone?” Alistair raised an eyebrow.
“I want to bring witnesses,” Skye said. “If Gemma’s mercenaries are waiting, let’s see if they have the nerve to open fire on a livestream with CNN watching.”
“And while they’re watching the Peak?” Alistair asked.
“While they watch the Peak,” Skye said, “I’m going to find out who is really sitting in the Vance Estate pulling Liam’s strings.”
.