Chapter 17 - THREE HOSTAGES
For the first time, Marcella was no longer the most dangerous person in the story.
Daniel Mercer had spent eleven years being underestimated.
He attended board meetings.
Signed audits.
Smiled during Christmas dinners.
Sent tasteful flowers to funerals.
He had watched everyone else fight for family power while he learned where every dollar moved.
Now he wanted thirty-eight million dollars.
And he had three hostages.
Nico looked at Rafe.
“Can we trace him?”
“Working on it.”
Federal agents coordinated through a nearby command vehicle.
Vivia sat beside Elena.
“What does he mean when he says I can release the accounts?”
Elena looked worried.
“The trust.”
“What about it?”
“The accounts are controlled through the charitable subtrust.”
“Who is authorized?”
“You.”
“I didn’t even know they existed.”
“You were supposed to learn after my death.”
Vivia laughed hollowly.
“You were supposed to be dead.”
Elena looked down.
“Yes.”
“How do I release money?”
“Two biometric signatures.”
“Mine and whose?”
Elena looked at Nico.
“His.”
Nico frowned.
“I’m not in Vivia’s trust.”
“No.”
“You’re in mine.”
Elena explained.
The thirty-eight million had been structured separately from Bellandi Holdings.
Vivia had beneficiary authority.
Nico had fiduciary release authority.
Neither could move the money alone.
Nico almost smiled.
“Two keys.”
Elena nodded.
Daniel needed both siblings.
That meant the hostages were leverage.
Nico looked at the federal agent in charge.
“We agree.”
Rafe turned.
“No.”
“We make the transfer.”
“You cannot hand him thirty-eight million.”
“We won’t.”
Rafe understood.
“You want him to believe it.”
“Yes.”
The agent nodded.
“We can create a controlled transfer path.”
Vivia looked at Nico.
“And if he checks?”
“He will.”
“So?”
“We make it real enough to enter his account, then freeze the exit.”
Elena shook her head.
“Daniel will expect that.”
Nico looked at her.
“What would he not expect?”
Elena thought.
Then she smiled.
“The beneficiaries.”
Everyone waited.
“The thirty-eight million is not one account.”
“It is sixty-three.”
“Each tied to a separate family trust.”
“Daniel cannot move all of it instantly.”
Rafe understood.
“So he’ll consolidate.”
“Yes.”
“And consolidation creates a trail.”
“Yes.”
Nico looked at the agent.
“Can you follow it?”
“Absolutely.”
They contacted Daniel.
He sent instructions.
Nico and Vivia were to travel to an abandoned Bellandi shipping terminal in New Jersey.
No visible police.
Laptop.
Biometric key.
They complied.
Rafe went separately.
Federal teams surrounded the area from a distance.
Inside the terminal, Daniel stood alone.
At least he appeared alone.
Nico walked beside Vivia.
“Where are they?”
Daniel smiled.
“Safe.”
“Show us.”
He raised a tablet.
Three live video feeds appeared.
Father Gabriel.
Samuel.
Alessia’s father.
All alive.
Vivia exhaled.
Daniel pointed toward a table.
“Transfer.”
Nico placed the laptop down.
Vivia provided the first biometric authorization.
Nico provided the second.
Money began moving.
Daniel watched the screen.
$3 million.
$8 million.
$15 million.
His smile widened.
Then the transfer stalled.
He frowned.
“What did you do?”
Nico looked at the progress bar.
“Nothing.”
Daniel refreshed.
The balance showed $38,000,000.
Then it disappeared.
His face changed.
“What?”
Vivia looked at Nico.
He smiled.
“Sixty-three beneficiary trusts.”
Daniel stared.
“The money doesn’t consolidate until each underlying authorization clears.”
“You knew that.”
“I learned it today.”
Daniel reached for his phone.
Rafe’s voice came through the terminal speakers.
“Don’t.”
Daniel froze.
Rafe stepped from behind a cargo container.
Daniel laughed.
“You people really cannot follow instructions.”
Nico looked at the tablet.
The hostage feeds remained live.
Daniel followed his gaze.
“Kill one.”
Nico’s face changed.
Daniel spoke into his phone.
“I said kill one.”
Nothing happened.
Daniel frowned.
He tried again.
No answer.
Then the first video feed changed.
Federal agents entered Father Gabriel’s room.
The second feed changed.
Samuel was freed.
The third.
Alessia’s father stood as officers removed his restraints.
Daniel stared.
Nico spoke.
“While you were watching the money, we watched your video metadata.”
Daniel looked toward Vivia.
“You knew?”
She nodded.
“Two keys.”
Federal agents entered the terminal.
Daniel raised his hands.
Then smiled.
Nico did not like the smile.
“What?”
Daniel looked toward Elena.
She had remained outside.
Daniel whispered.
“You think I’m the one who took them.”
Nico frowned.
“You gave the orders.”
“I gave the call.”
“Same thing.”
“No.”
Daniel laughed.
“Marcella took them.”
Nico’s expression hardened.
“She gave them back?”
“Marcella did nothing for free.”
“What did she get?”
Daniel looked at Vivia.
“The one thing she actually wanted.”
Vivia went cold.
“The dress.”
Nico turned.
The garment bag had been left at the farmhouse under federal guard.
He called.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Rafe called his team.
A guard finally answered.
“Sir.”
“What happened?”
“Vehicle breach.”
“Dress?”
“Gone.”
Elena closed her eyes.
Nico looked at her.
“Why does Marcella still want it?”
Elena did not answer.
“Mom.”
She looked terrified.
“Because we still haven’t found the final seam.”
Vivia stared.
“What else is inside?”
Elena whispered.
“A photograph.”
“Of what?”
“Not what.”
“Who.”
Nico stepped closer.
“Who?”
Elena looked toward Daniel.
Daniel was smiling.
He knew.
Elena’s voice shook.
“The only person who can prove Marcella was never legally married to your father.”
Vivia frowned.
“What?”
Elena continued.
“Because Marcella was already married.”
Nico stared.
“To whom?”
Daniel laughed.
“Now we get to the part she was willing to kill for.”
Elena answered.
May you like
“Michael D’Angelo.”
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