Chapter 6 - What Ruth Brooks Knew
Ruth Brooks had left more than medical bills behind.
Sadie discovered that afternoon.
She returned to her small apartment accompanied by Marcus and Knox.
For twenty minutes they searched quietly.
Nothing.
Then Sadie sat beside her mother's old sewing machine.
“You don't repair fabric by staring at the whole thing.”
Marcus looked at her.
“What?”
“My mother always hid important things where people wouldn't think to look.”
Sadie opened the sewing-machine compartment.
Thread spools.
Needles.
Scissors.
Nothing.
Then she removed the bottom panel.
A small USB drive fell onto the table.
Marcus stared.
“Your mother was more interesting than you told us.”
“I didn't know.”
Back at the estate, Knox opened the drive on an isolated computer.
Files filled the screen.
Shipping invoices.
Photographs.
Audio recordings.
Payment schedules.
Marcus leaned closer.
“Jesus.”
Gabriel sat in a chair beside the window, his shoulder heavily bandaged.
“What?”
Marcus turned the screen.
“Mercer was moving illegal cargo through Harbor Nine and billing it through your legitimate companies.”
Gabriel's jaw tightened.
“That explains why I found missing money.”
Sadie scanned the documents.
“My mother repaired industrial covers for the warehouse.”
“And noticed something?” Gabriel asked.
Sadie nodded slowly.
“She always checked materials against invoices.”
Marcus opened another folder.
There were photographs of black industrial braid.
Chemical treatment certificates.
Supplier numbers.
Gabriel looked toward Sadie.
“Your mother discovered the thread before you did.”
“Not the medical part.”
“No.”
Gabriel's eyes stayed on the files.
“She discovered where it came from.”
An audio recording appeared.
Sadie recognized Ruth's voice immediately.
Marcus hesitated.
“You don't have to hear this.”
“Play it.”
Her mother's voice filled the room.
“If anything happens to me, Daniel Mercer and Victor Hale know why. Harbor Nine is being used to hide shipments and falsify Vale company records. I copied everything. I don't know if Gabriel Vale knows. I hope he doesn't.”
Sadie's eyes filled but she stayed silent.
Ruth continued.
“I've been sick too long to fight them myself. But evidence doesn't get tired.”
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
Gabriel finally asked, “Did they hurt her?”
Sadie shook her head.
“Cancer killed her.”
Then she looked at Victor's photograph.
“But they frightened her during the last months she had.”
Gabriel's expression turned cold.
Marcus's phone rang.
Knox answered instead.
“Mercer?”
A pause.
“Yes.”
He handed the phone to Gabriel.
Mercer's voice came through speaker.
“You look better than expected.”
Gabriel leaned back.
“I've had an excellent maid.”
Mercer laughed.
“I heard.”
Sadie stood beside the desk.
Mercer continued.
“Victor talks too much when he's scared.”
Gabriel's expression didn't change.
“What do you want?”
“The drive Ruth Brooks kept.”
Sadie's stomach tightened.
Marcus looked at her.
Gabriel replied, “I don't have it.”
“You always were a terrible liar.”
“What do I get?”
“Your remaining records.”
“I already have them.”
“Not all.”
Mercer paused.
“I have names. Judges. Account numbers. Partners Victor never told you about.”
Gabriel's gaze sharpened.
“Where?”
“Pier Twelve. Midnight.”
Marcus silently mouthed, No.
Gabriel said, “Fine.”
Sadie stepped forward.
Mercer added, “And bring the maid.”
Gabriel's face changed.
“No.”
Mercer laughed softly.
“She has something that belongs to me.”
Sadie took the phone.
“Nothing belongs to you.”
Mercer went quiet.
Then said, “You sound like your mother.”
Sadie's fingers tightened.
“You knew her.”
“She cost me millions.”
“She was dying and still scared you.”
Mercer's breathing changed.
Sadie continued.
“That must have been embarrassing.”
Marcus stared at her.
Gabriel almost smiled.
Mercer replied, “Midnight. Bring the drive.”
The call ended.
Gabriel looked at Sadie.
“You're not going.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No.”
“You need the evidence.”
“I need you alive.”
Sadie stopped.
Gabriel continued.
“You saved my life. I'm not trading yours for paperwork.”
“The paperwork could keep Mercer from hurting anyone else.”
Marcus stepped between them.
“She has a point.”
Gabriel stared at him.
Marcus raised his hands.
“I didn't say I liked it.”
Knox spoke.
“We don't need to bring the real drive.”
Everyone turned.
He held up a duplicate.
“We copy it.”
Gabriel considered the plan.
Sadie said, “Mercer expects me.”
Gabriel's voice became low.
“Then Mercer is going to be very disappointed.”
At 11:48 p.m., three black vehicles approached Pier Twelve.
Gabriel was not inside them.
Dr. Reed had threatened to sedate him personally if he left the estate.
Sadie sat beside Marcus.
“You nervous?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
She looked at him.
“Gabriel said the same thing.”
Marcus smiled.
“He trained me.”
The vehicles stopped.
Mercer stood beneath the lights of an empty warehouse.
No violence.
No chaos.
Only men watching men.
Sadie stepped out carrying the duplicate drive.
Mercer smiled.
“Ruth's daughter.”
Sadie looked at him.
“You remember her.”
“Unfortunately.”
“You should.”
His smile faded.
“She was a seamstress.”
“No.”
Sadie held up the drive.
“She was the woman who beat you with paperwork.”
Marcus coughed to hide a laugh.
Mercer held out his hand.
“Give it to me.”
Sadie didn't move.
“Records first.”
A car door opened behind Mercer.
Victor Hale stepped out.
Marcus froze.
“You escaped.”
Victor smiled.
“I've always been better at exits.”
Sadie looked between them.
And realized the truth.
Mercer hadn't brought Victor because they were partners.
Victor was frightened of him.
Sadie said quietly, “You're going to betray him.”
Mercer looked at her.
Victor turned.
“What?”
Sadie continued.
“He doesn't need you anymore.”
Mercer’s eyes hardened.
Victor stepped backward.
“You said we were leaving tonight.”
Marcus smiled coldly.
“Looks like you've been demoted, Victor.”
Sirens sounded in the distance.
Mercer's expression changed.
Sadie held up the drive.
“You wanted evidence?”
She smiled.
“The authorities already have copies.”
Mercer stared at her.
“You're bluffing.”
Gabriel's voice came through Marcus's phone.
“No.”
Everyone froze.
Marcus activated speaker.
Gabriel continued.
“She learned from people who know how to make copies.”
Mercer looked toward the road.
More vehicles approached.
He had nowhere to go.
Gabriel's voice remained calm.
“It's over, Daniel.”
Mercer stared at Sadie.
“Your mother ruined everything.”
Sadie shook her head.
“No.”
She looked at Victor.
May you like
“Your first wrong stitch did.”
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