Chapter 4 - The Trap Inside the Evidence
Port Mercer Bridge closed at 7:02 a.m.
By noon, the Castain family had lost three municipal contracts.
By evening, federal investigators had seized records from two construction offices.
And Daniel Mercer had disappeared.
Saoirse sat in Declan’s office watching television coverage.
“They’ll blame him.”
Declan stood behind the desk.
“They should.”
“No.”
She muted the television.
“Mercer took money. He forged documents. But he didn't design this.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Daniel is greedy.”
She pointed at the television.
“This required patience.”
Declan understood.
“And intelligence.”
“Yes.”
“Castain?”
“Maybe.”
Remy entered.
“Not maybe.”
He tossed a photograph onto the desk.
Victor Castain.
Sixty-two.
Silver-haired.
Elegant.
Head of Castain Construction.
Declan's oldest surviving rival.
Saoirse studied the photograph.
“He ordered the attack?”
“Looks that way.”
“Can you prove it?”
Remy hesitated.
“No.”
Declan smiled coldly.
“Yet.”
Saoirse looked between them.
“No.”
Declan turned.
“No what?”
“You're not starting a war.”
“Saoirse—”
“You promised Petra was clear.”
“She is.”
“If you go after Castain, she'll become leverage.”
Declan’s expression changed.
Saoirse continued.
“That's what he wants.”
Remy leaned against the desk.
“She has a point.”
Declan gave him a look.
“I hate when that happens too,” Remy said.
Saoirse opened the files again.
“Castain manipulated the evidence against Remy.”
“To make me suspicious.”
“Exactly.”
“Why?”
“To isolate you.”
Declan studied the screen.
Then he saw it.
“Because he expected me to kill Remy.”
Saoirse nodded.
“Or at least remove him.”
Remy looked offended.
“That's hurtful.”
Nobody laughed.
Saoirse opened the bridge specifications.
“Look here.”
A supplier code repeated across all three projects.
MARR MARITIME LOGISTICS.
Declan froze.
Remy stepped forward.
“What the hell?”
Saoirse pointed.
“They've been routing falsified material records through companies connected to you.”
Declan’s eyes hardened.
“When investigators dig deeper—”
“They won't see Castain.”
“They'll see me.”
“Yes.”
Everything suddenly aligned.
The forged payment to Remy.
The compromised bridges.
Saoirse’s attack.
The false material records.
Victor Castain wasn't protecting his construction empire.
He was building a federal case against Declan Marr.
Saoirse whispered, “I'm not the target.”
Declan looked at her.
“You were.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I was the delivery system.”
Silence.
“They wanted me to bring the evidence here.”
Declan’s gaze shifted toward the thumb drive.
Saoirse reached for it.
“Don't.”
Too late.
She plugged it into an isolated machine and examined hidden partitions.
Her expression changed.
“Declan.”
“What?”
“This drive has a tracking beacon embedded in the casing.”
Remy straightened.
“Meaning?”
Saoirse looked toward the rain-darkened windows.
“They know exactly where it is.”
The building lights went out.
Darkness swallowed the office.
Remy’s voice came instantly.
“Everybody stay down.”
Declan grabbed Saoirse.
She resisted.
“Don't carry me.”
“Not discussing this.”
Emergency lights flickered on.
Footsteps sounded downstairs.
Declan moved her toward the secure corridor.
Saoirse grabbed his jacket.
“The drive.”
“Forget it.”
“We need it.”
“No.”
“Declan.”
He looked at her.
“Two weeks ago, you were a deal,” he said.
Saoirse stopped breathing.
Declan pulled her behind the reinforced door.
“You're not anymore.”
May you like
He closed it between them.
---
