"She's fine. I got there just in time. Ran Ding is dead. Avery's father was shot in the arm, and he's on his way to the hospital."
"Where are you?"
"Sitting in a car at the mall," he said.
"Well, I didn't expect to hear you say that."
"Avery found the missing drive. She had it all along. It was hidden away in a charm bracelet. She went into the mall to get a computer."
"Why not just come here?"
"I need to look at that drive now, so I know what we're dealing with. It will take too long to get across town. I'll forward the contents as soon as I can."
"You still have the encrypted email?"
"I've got it. What's happening there? How's Carter?"
"He's in surgery, but it looks like he should survive. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to speak to him since he arrived at the hospital. Both Flynn and Joanna have agents down there, ready to interrogate him as soon as he's able to speak."
"Flynn and Joanna are working together?"
"They are now. Flynn was able to track down the bank account in the Caymans," she replied. "It doesn't actually exist. All the records were fake. There is no cash despite what Joanna thought."
"I'm not surprised."
"We sent the evidence both to Joanna and to her boss, so she couldn't bury it. She's livid that I helped you get away and even more furious that she was played. She's going to go to the ends of the earth to determine who used her—at least that's her story."
"How much trouble are you in for breaking me out?"
"There will be a lot of discussions for both of us after this is all over," she said. "But you're in the clear, and right now the focus is on Nova Star and the launch tomorrow. Call me back as soon as you know anything."
"I will. Can you also check on Avery's father? I'm not sure what hospital they would have taken him, too, probably whatever is closest to his house."
"Will do."
As he ended the call, Avery returned to the car with a triumphant gleam in her eyes. "I found a computer that still has a USB port to open the drive."
"That's great. Let's see what we've got." As Avery tore open the packaging, he added, "I asked Bree to check on your dad."
She paused to look at him. "What else did Bree say? I assume she's not under arrest since she reached you."
"No. In fact, my team leader has managed to find information to clear my name."
"Thank God for that." Avery tore open the packaging and turned on the computer. "Looks like we have enough juice to see what's on the drive," she said, as she inserted it into the USB port.
He leaned over the console as they both watched the screen light up. For a moment, he worried that the computer light was making them too visible, but he didn't want to waste time moving to another location.
"This better give us some answers," Avery murmured.
"I think it will." His instincts told him that whatever was on this drive would finally fill in the remaining puzzle pieces.
There was only one folder on the drive. It included several files. Avery clicked on the first one, revealing pages and pages of computer code. Another file contained specs and technical drawings of the satellite. The third file appeared to hold test reports and analyses, some with handwritten notes. Every page was stamped with a Nova Star watermark.
"Can you tell what these are about?" he asked.
"They're about the new defense system on the satellite," she replied, as she skimmed through the open pages, pausing every and now and then. "It's a bit too technical for me, but this information is clearly about the satellite. The test results look odd," she added, studying one page for another minute. "These results show more failures than previously noted."
"Maybe the system doesn't work and the reports you saw earlier didn't contain accurate information."
"Or these reports are wrong. Either way, there's a good chance there's a problem with the satellite." She gazed back at him. "We need to get this information to Hamilton. He has to stop the launch."
"He's been unwilling to do that."
"This should convince him." She frowned. "This information had to come from Kyle's division of the company. Not that it necessarily means he stole it."
"Nor does it mean that he didn't. Carter told me Bickmore is working for someone higher up, one of the Tremaines. We don't have a lot of choices."
"Would he really sabotage his own company?" she asked. "We're still missing something."
"Motivation," he agreed. "Maybe we'll find it when we show the family what we have."
"They're all together at Hamilton's house." She paused. "I should call Whitney and tell her about my dad."
"You can't do that yet. You'll tip our hand."
"My father might have called her from the ambulance."
"I'm going to hope he didn't. I want to send this file to Bree, but I need an internet connection."
Avery tipped her head to a nearby coffee house. "We can probably do it from there."
He nodded. "Let me drive closer. You might not even need to go inside." He started the car and moved it into a spot out the café.
"Got it," Avery said.
He took the computer out of her hand and went on the net, sending Bree the file through an encrypted email server. When that was done, he handed the laptop back to Avery.
As she put it by her feet, she said, "Did you check the phone you took from the gunman?"
"No, dammit." He reached into his pocket for the other phone, unable to believe he'd forgotten to do that.
"Is it locked?" Avery asked.
"It's actually not," he said. "It's obviously a burner phone and not meant to be kept for long." He opened up the messages and skimmed through them.
"What do the texts say?" Avery asked impatiently.
"There are two addresses, one for Carter's house and one for your dad's house."
"He was hired to kill us."
"Yes," he said shortly, moving from the texts to the voicemail. There was one number that he didn't recognize, but he pushed play and put the message on speaker, so Avery could hear it.
A familiar voice came across the line, and a shiver ran down his spine.
"This is your last chance. Avery has to die tonight. Call me when it's done."
"Oh, my God," Avery breathed, shock in her eyes. "Is that who I think it is?"
"Yes," he said grimly, thanking God again that he'd gotten to her in time.
"I can't believe it."
He revved the engine and pulled out of the lot. "Looks like Hamilton's private family party is going to get a little bigger." As he pulled onto the road, he handed her his phone. "Text Bree the latest. She'll send backup."
"If it's not there by the time we get to Hamilton's house, I'm not waiting," Avery declared, her fear turning to fury.
"Neither am I," he swore, impatient to end this once and for all.
* * *
Hamilton lived in a mansion in Calabasas, in a separate development from that of Brett and Whitney, but only a few miles away from where they'd just come from.
Avery's stomach churned as Wyatt sped down the freeway. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard. Betrayal, anger, hurt—so many emotions were running through her. She'd been targeted for death by someone she knew. She could hardly believe it.
"No guard gate here," Wyatt muttered. "Your father has more security than Hamilton."
"Hamilton always says he's not a man to hide behind gates," she muttered.
"One less problem for us."
When Wyatt pulled up in the circular drive in front of the three-story home, Avery jumped out of the car as it came to a rolling stop. Wyatt was right behind her.
She rang the bell twice, impatient to get inside, to face the person who'd killed Noelle, who'd shot Carter and her father, who'd wanted her dead.
Wyatt had his gun at the ready, but she didn't think they were going to need it. Someone who paid others to do the dirty work was a coward.
Hamilton's h
ousekeeper, Rena Khouri, opened the door. She was an older Indian woman who had been working for Hamilton for almost twenty years.
"Avery," she said with surprise. "I didn't think you were coming tonight."
"I had a change of plans," she said, pushing past Rena. "Where is everyone?"
"They're in the living room, but this is a very emotional evening," Rena said, giving her and Wyatt a worried look. "I just took them champagne to toast sweet Margery."
"This can't wait," she said, storming across the marbled floor of the entry, pushing open the double doors that led into the luxurious living room.
They were all there: Hamilton, Kyle, Jonathan, and Whitney.
Hamilton stood up at their abrupt entrance, surprise and wariness in his gaze.
"What's going on, Avery?" Hamilton demanded. "What's he doing here?"
"Wyatt is with me." She saw more surprise, more worry, and even a little fear on the faces of Hamilton's three adult children.
"You bring a traitor into my house?" Hamilton asked in amazement, sending Wyatt a burning look. "I'm calling the FBI."
"Don't bother," she said sharply, happy to take charge, because she was full of steam, and she was ready to blow it out. "There is a traitor in your house, but it's not Wyatt. The past few days, since my best friend died, someone has been trying to kill me—someone in this room."
Whitney let out a gasp, putting a hand to her heart. "Don't be ridiculous, Avery. That's absurd."
"It's not absurd. I was in your house when a hit man came in. He shot my dad."
"What?" Whitney jumped to her feet. "Is Brett all right?"
There appeared to be genuine panic in Whitney's eyes, but at this point, Avery didn't really trust anyone. She didn't know if one of them was involved or all of them. "My father was shot in the arm. He's on his way to the hospital."
"I have to go see him," Whitney said.
"Sit down," Wyatt ordered. "You're not going anywhere. Brett will be fine. It was not a life-threatening wound. He's being taken care of, and none of you are going anywhere until we sort all this out."
"The gunman is dead by the way," Avery continued. "Wyatt killed him." She held up a phone. "But he left this phone behind. It has an interesting voicemail on it. I think you should all hear it."
She pushed play, and Kyle's voice rang out in the room.
Kyle jumped to his feet and rushed toward her.
But Wyatt was too quick, grabbing Kyle by the shoulders and slamming him into the wall by the fireplace, pinning him there, a gun at his head. "I don't think so," Wyatt said. "Your father needs to hear the whole message. Play it again, Avery."
She did as he asked.
"What did you do, Kyle?" Hamilton asked in shock, staring at his middle child.
"Yeah. What the hell did you do?" Jonathan demanded, also rising. "You're the one who's been setting me up? My own brother?"
Wyatt let go of Kyle but kept the gun on him. "You're not going anywhere, Kyle. It's over. Start talking."
"I have nothing to say," Kyle bit out.
"Not good enough," Wyatt said, slamming a fist into Kyle's stomach.
The man doubled over, gasping for breath.
"Try again," Wyatt ordered.
"I—" Kyle couldn't get the words out.
Hamilton moved forward, shaking his head in bewilderment. "You wanted to kill Avery? She's been a friend to you. She's part of the family. Why would you do that?"
"Because I have a flash drive that Noelle took from Carter," Avery replied when Kyle gave his father a helpless shrug. "I didn't actually know I had it until tonight, but it contains information about the satellite. It's apparently one of several drives that Larry Bickmore asked Carter Hayes to hand over to a third party. But all that was done at the request of Kyle."
"You sold our technology?" Hamilton asked in astonishment. "Why? So much of it was your work. This was our dream—our family dream. Your mother…she would be so disappointed in you."
"Don't talk about my mother," Kyle said bitterly. "You're the reason she's dead."
"What are you talking about?" Whitney interrupted. "Dad didn't kill Mom."
"He did," Kyle said, fury raging in his eyes now that he realized he had no defense and his secrets were all coming out. "He kept pouring money into the space program instead of medical research. Billions of dollars went into putting rockets into space, all in the hopes of landing people on Mars. All that cash could have gone into finding a cure for Mom's cancer. She could still be alive if he wasn't so obsessed with space."
Hamilton turned white at his son's accusations. "I did everything I could for your mother."
"You didn't do enough. She didn't care about space. She just loved you with a blindness that never allowed her to see you for the selfish person that you are," Kyle ranted. "After she died, I was angry, so damned angry. And I wasn't alone. Larry felt the same way."
"Larry?" Hamilton echoed. "My best friend, Larry?"
"Who loved Mom as much as you did," Kyle reminded him. "Larry said that he never would have let her die, that with the kind of money you have, you could have hired a team of researchers the minute she was diagnosed. You could have thrown all your money into the drug trials. But no, you just wanted to go to space."
"The cancer was too widespread," Hamilton said, pain in his eyes. "I loved your mother. She was my life. I would have done anything to save her."
"You didn't do anything. That was the point. I was going to quit Nova Star after she died. I was done. And then Larry introduced me to a woman—Jia Lin."
Avery shot Wyatt a quick look at the mention of the Chinese woman's name.
"She was very sweet, very smart, very kind," Kyle continued, seemingly resigned now to telling the entire story. Or maybe he just wanted his father to know the hatred burning in his heart. "Jia helped me through my pain. She helped me see that there was a way to get revenge and get myself out from under your thumb. She said I was the brains behind Nova Star. Why shouldn't I make more money, be the man on the magazine covers, be the one to pioneer space? Why give you all the glory? Her friends ran a private aerospace company in Beijing. They offered me money and a chance to be part of something that didn't belong to you. I thought what better way to take you down than to give my technology to a competitor, to a foreign country, one you believed would never make a dent in the space race."
"I can't believe this," Whitney said. "You sound insane right now, Kyle."
"I'm not the one who's crazy—it's him." Kyle tipped his head in Hamilton's direction.
"No, it's you," Jonathan said. "You're rewriting history. Mom wanted Nova Star to succeed as much as Dad did, and she didn't want extraordinary measures used to keep her alive."
"That's because she didn't want to take money away from Dad's dream when she was dying," Kyle shouted.
"What happened to Jia?" Wyatt interjected. "Who killed her and why?"
"She was killed because I started getting cold feet," Kyle admitted. "I was getting my head back together, and I wanted to back out. I realized what I really wanted to do was get out of the space race entirely, but I was in too deep. They killed Jia as a warning to me. And then they blackmailed me with recordings of all my conversations with her. If I didn't do what they said, they would kill me, too. I was trapped."
"You sent me to talk to that woman," Jonathan said, giving his brother a bewildered look. "You set me up, Kyle."
"I couldn't go myself. I was surprised she asked for me to come to San Francisco. She didn't realize she was being set up, that the information she'd been told to bring to me would actually be found in her car. Her employers wanted you to know there was a mole in your company, that it might be your son," Kyle added, looking at his father. "Just not the son you thought it was."
"I never believed it was Jonathan, but I also never could have imagined it would be you," Hamilton said, sitting down on the couch, suddenly looking every one of his sixty-eight years.
Avery felt sorry for Hamilton, but right now
her attention was on Kyle. "Why did the Chinese, I assume it was the Chinese, want Hamilton to know there was a spy in the company?"
"They thought it would put pressure on me, and, yes, it's a Chinese company secretly funded by the state.
"How did Noelle get involved?" she asked.
"She was working in my department for a while. Larry was using Carter as a go-between. I guess Noelle got suspicious as to why Carter was in my wing of the building so often. I don’t know. I asked him about it, and he said she must have figured out that he was selling secrets to secure a promotion from Larry. She had money problems of her own, so she took the drive that he was supposed to turn over on Saturday night and set up her own meet. But I guess she had second thoughts and didn't hand over the drive. My associates don't tolerate disloyalty, so she was killed." Kyle's gaze bored into hers. "I knew you had it, Avery. Where was it?"
"It isn't important where it was. You ordered me to be killed. This wasn't just about selling secrets; this was about murder. People died because of you, Kyle."
"I had no choice. I got caught up in a situation that went really bad. They put out the contract on you; I was just supposed to help them locate you, but Wyatt kept saving you. We were desperate. The launch is tomorrow. That's why I said it had to be done tonight, or it would all be over."
She couldn't believe how calmly he was talking about working with a hit man, about plotting out her death. "You put the GPS tracker in my bag at the birthday party, didn't you?"
"That was easy. You left it in the living room."
"I thought of you as a brother, Kyle," she murmured.
"Yeah, you wanted to be in the family so bad, and Dad wanted you in our family, too, because you shared his dreams," Kyle said bitterly. "You were part of the problem. You encouraged him to go for everything he wanted. You became the voice in his head."
"What's supposed to happen at the launch tomorrow?" Wyatt interrupted.
Kyle hesitated, then shrugged, as if realizing it was truly over. "The satellite will destroy itself after it separates from the rocket. The Chinese company is already building a satellite defense system that will work, based on my engineering. Nova Star won't be able to regroup fast enough to beat them. It's the end of the race, Dad," he added, looking back Hamilton. "You're not going to beat anyone to Mars. You're going to be human, and you're going to die on Earth just like Mom did."
Desperate Play (Off the Grid: FBI Series Book 3) Page 28