Chapter 8 - VICTOR HALE
Victor Hale disappeared before investigators could reach him.
Private aircraft.
Three passports.
Five offshore accounts.
Six identities.
He vanished like smoke.
But my father knew something.
"Men like Victor don't disappear."
"Where does he go?"
"Where people owe him."
We followed the money.
It led through Europe.
Then South America.
Then back into the United States.
Finally, investigators discovered an abandoned warehouse outside Baltimore.
Victor wasn't there.
But someone was.
Celeste.
She had escaped federal custody.
When officers found her, she was sitting alone inside the warehouse.
She looked exhausted.
"Where is Victor?" the agent asked.
Celeste laughed.
"You think I'm afraid of him?"
The agent said nothing.
Celeste looked toward the camera.
"I want to speak to her."
The agent understood.
"Who?"
"My wife."
The words were strange.
But I went.
Celeste looked at me through the glass.
"He'll come for you."
"Why?"
"Because you are the only person he cannot control."
I folded my arms.
"You tried."
"I was wrong."
"You helped him."
"I know."
"People died because of you."
Her eyes lowered.
"I know."
I expected excuses.
Instead, she gave me a USB drive.
"This contains everything Victor has."
I stared at it.
"Why give it to me?"
"Because Nathan was cruel."
She looked up.
"Victor is worse."
Then she whispered:
May you like
"And he knows where your father keeps his real money."
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