The Veritas Deception Page 24

  “How did you get here so fast? He only texted you an hour ago.” She pointed the gun at Evelyn. “I think you’d better tell us what’s really going on.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE

  “You let them get away again?” Damon Crosse was livid. He had a bunch of imbeciles working for him.

  “They shot down the helicopter and took off. They landed in Maryland but we lost them.”

  “Damn it to hell! I won’t allow him to undo everything I’ve accomplished.”

  “We recovered the flash drive. Logan gave it to Parks and he’s given it to us. We also swept Jeremy’s facility. And Logan’s been arrested.”

  That was one bit of good news. But Jeremy and Taylor were still free.

  “Find them. Do you hear me? Find them and bring them to me. And remember: don’t let anything happen to the woman.”

  “What about Jeremy?”

  “Bring him too. He has information I need.”

  The man continued to stand there, looking at him.

  “If I have to repeat myself, you won’t live long enough to hear it. Get moving!”

  After he had left, Damon opened the center desk drawer and pulled out the large black book. He turned to the familiar page and began to chant. Enough was enough. He should have known better than to ever show Jeremy Maya’s journal. He was furious with himself that he had unwittingly played a part in helping her achieve her agenda. How was he to know she would turn to God? He had selected her so carefully, made sure that her position as an atheist was solid, her idolatry of science secure. She had reached out from the grave and converted his son. His son. He had been foolish to forget the power of prayer. He knew all too well what it could accomplish. He had devoted his life to convincing others of the absence of God knowing full well God’s power. He had believed Jeremy was cut from the same cloth as he and that he would assume his role. The insolence! Plotting against him. Him! Jeremy had been conspiring with those traitors. It would stop now.

  Picking up a rubber ball, he squeezed it in his left hand over and over. Frustrated, he threw it against the wall. He had one more chance and this time he wouldn’t squander it. Time was running out. At best, he had another twenty-five years left—unless he got the final ten coins—then he could turn the clock back. He shook his head, and a slow smile spread across his face. It wouldn’t be long. In a few more months, he would be holding the heir to his kingdom. And this time, he would do it right. This child would never betray him or search for his mother. Damon would provide a mother for him, one that shared his own ambitions. He would grow up in a stable environment and be more than willing to take his place when the time came.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY

  Evelyn put her hands up. “Don’t do anything crazy. I’m not here to hurt you. I came here to save you.”

  Taylor was skeptical. “Did you know he was bringing us here to kill us?”

  “Not until a few hours ago. Taylor, what happened? You need to tell me everything.”

  “Why should I trust you?”

  She looked at the gun in Taylor’s hand. “You’ve got me covered, at least, let’s talk. Your father duped us both.”

  “That man is not my father.”

  “What do you mean he’s not your father?”

  “He admitted that he killed my mother.”

  Evelyn didn’t look surprised. “I thought so!” She shook her head. “I suspected it when I heard him talking a few weeks ago.”

  “Wait, what are you talking about?” Taylor asked.

  She looked up and gave Taylor her full attention. “He was in his study. I was about to come in when I overheard him on the phone with someone. He said, ‘I’ll use the same guys on Taylor who did her mother.’ It all clicked. I thought back to the day she was killed. He had sent her to that mall. She and I were supposed to have had lunch. She cancelled because he asked her to pick up a tux he needed that evening. I didn’t think anything about it at the time. Just a tragic coincidence. But then I began to wonder.” Evelyn sighed. “I didn’t know what to do. I searched around for evidence, anything that would prove me wrong. I didn’t want it to be true. Then I found a burner phone. So I cloned it and his regular phone.”

  Jeremy had a suspicious look on his face. “You cloned it? How does a psychologist know how to do that?”

  “I have a friend who knows how. The point is, today I saw a text saying they’d taken Jack and the house was clear. The second text he sent an hour ago was to an unknown number, saying he had you and would need someone to come to the cottage and clean up after him.”

  “That still doesn’t explain how you got here so fast. What aren’t you telling us?”

  Taylor walked toward her until she was only a few feet away. “If I have to shoot you, I will. Tell us the truth. Do you work from Crosse too?” Taylor knew she could never really shoot her, but hopefully Evelyn would believe her bluff.

  “Who?”

  “Come on, Evelyn, cut the crap.” Taylor wasn’t playing her game. “Were you in on the murder of my mother? Just waiting in the wings to marry her husband?”

  “Of course not! I loved your mother.”

  “Really? It didn’t take you long to become the new Mrs. Parks. Did he tell you that Damon Crosse is my father, not him?”

  Evelyn’s mouth dropped open. “Your what?”

  “Jeremy is my brother. Jeremy’s mother was a medical student at the Institute. Damon held her hostage, impregnated her, then let her die after Jeremy was born. He made sure his sperm was used when my mother did in-vitro at one of his clinics so that my mother would have his child too.”

  She looked up at Jeremy. “What was your mother’s name?”

  He narrowed his eyes at her. “Why?”

  “Please, I have to know. Was it Maya?”

  His eyes widened. “Yes.”

  “I thought she had left the program voluntarily. He told me that she’d run off with another man. Brian, I think. He left when she did. Are you sure about this? Held hostage? I can’t believe Damon would do that.” She looked like she’d seen a ghost and in her eyes was the same shell-shocked look that Jack had had when he found out about Dakota.

  “You knew my mother?”

  “I was there when she came to the Institute. Damon hired me right after I got my PhD. I thought he was doing noble work. He said I was helping to shape the future. She was in the first group I worked with. I was so sad when she left. There was something about her that made an impression on me. I can’t believe he would do something like that. All the work that he does, it doesn’t make any sense.”

  Jeremy and Taylor exchanged a look.

  “Let her read it,” Taylor said.

  Jeremy retrieved Maya’s letter from his satchel and handed it to Evelyn. “My mother wrote this. You want to know about all the good he does at that institute? You’ll see the truth. She also kept a detailed journal, but he still has that back at the Institute.”

  She took the letter, then looked up, panic-stricken. “We have to get out of here. Crosse’s men will be here any minute.”

  “What? You called them?” Taylor asked.

  “I thought I was doing the right thing. He made me believe that Jeremy was the evil one. He said he wanted the chance to talk to him again, work things out. And I didn’t think he’d hurt you. He told me he just wanted to make sure you were safe.”

  “That’s because he wants my baby,” Taylor yelled behind her as they sprinted out the door.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE

  Hillsborough County Jail, New Hampshire

  “Jack, it’s bad. They say your fingerprints are all over that cabin. How did you get so sloppy?”

  Jack’s eyes went to the ceiling.

  “I wasn’t expecting it. I let my guard down. I didn’t realize until the guy showed up that I’d been set up.”

  His longtime buddy and trusted lawyer, Arnie Thomas, chewed his lip. Jack waited for him to say something. He frowned at Jack.
“It doesn’t look good. We’re going to need Taylor to corroborate your story that it was self-defense. She has to testify that you didn’t kidnap her and that this man threatened your life.”

  Jack shook his head. “No way. She can’t come out of hiding. It’s too dangerous.”

  Arnie sank back into his chair. “Are you serious? How do you expect me to get you out of this without her help?”

  Jack leaned forward. “Find a way. I’m not about to hand her over on a silver platter just to save myself.”

  “We might be able to use a deposition from her, plead the case that she has to stay in hiding. Can you contact her?”

  “Maybe. If Jeremy’s still got the same disposable, it’s possible.” Jack scratched his head. “Have you been able to find out anything about Craig?”

  “No. Nothing. I’m sorry.”

  “What about the paper? Did the story get printed?”

  Arnie reached into his briefcase and pulled out a newspaper. He handed it to Jack.

  “That can’t be,” Jack sputtered.

  “I’m afraid it is. There’s nothing about the conspiracy. You’re front-page news, though. And Parks never went back to his office. When I called, they didn’t know where he was.”

  “Could Parks work for Crosse too? I’ll bet we’ll never see that flash drive again.” He punched the table.

  Arnie stood. “If you think of anything helpful, let me know. I’ve got a bail hearing to prepare for.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO

  “We can’t take my car. When they get here and we’re gone, they’ll look for it. What about the Escort?” Evelyn said.

  Taylor shook her head. “No, the FBI was here. They arrested Jack. They would have the plates, and Crosse might too.”

  “What are we going to do?” Jeremy said.

  She had to think.

  “About half a mile up the road there’s another cottage. We know the family; they only come here in the summer and occasional weekend. They used to leave an old Volvo station wagon there. If we’re lucky, it’s still there.”

  “What about the keys?” Jeremy asked.

  “There’s a tool box under the kitchen sink. Grab it and bring it.”

  They followed Taylor down the gravel road and narrow dirt driveway that led to the house. There was a carport next to the cottage, and parked there was a blue station wagon.

  Taylor tried the door. It was unlocked. “Get in.” She turned to Jeremy seated next to her. “Give me the screwdriver, please.”

  He handed it to her. She inserted the flat end into the ignition.

  “Hammer?” She took it from him and used it to smack the butt end of the screwdriver.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “Unlocking the steering column so we can start the car.” She turned the screwdriver and the car started.

  “How in the world do you know how to do that?”

  She gave him a wry look. “Things can get boring at boarding school when you don’t have your own wheels. You learn a lot living with a bunch of girls.”

  “You’re full of surprises.”

  “Let’s get out of here.”

  “Where are we going?” Evelyn asked.

  “I think the only safe bet is to go back to Carl’s,” Jeremy answered. “He’s a good friend of mine completely off the grid,” he explained for Evelyn’s benefit.

  “Where is he?”

  “New Hampshire.”

  “That’s a long trip.”

  “Well, we don’t have much choice. We’ll drive straight through, taking shifts,” Taylor said. “In the meantime, we have to figure out our next move. Now that the flash drive is gone, all we have is the letter. I’m not a lawyer, but I have to wonder how it would be authenticated with Maya gone and everyone in her family dead.”

  “Evelyn’s met her. And I’m sure there are handwriting samples from tests or essays while she was in school,” Jeremy said.

  Evelyn was shaking her head. “It’s not enough. He’ll figure a way to get out of it. He can claim that she was delusional—she made it all up. We need more.”

  “What if I went public with what we know? I have contacts in the press. Everyone knows Karen Printz, I was her producer for years. I’m sure she’d love to interview me on Nightline. We could tell them of our suspicions that the founder was a Nazi war criminal. It might be enough to get people looking into the Institute, Crosse. They could investigate his dealings, get people to come forward. Those stories always bring people out of the woodwork,” Taylor said.

  “Maybe,” Jeremy said, “but his people are not your ordinary victim types. Remember, they are all well compensated for what they do or else they are zealots doing what they believe is their calling. I’m worried that such scrutiny would only drive him to get rid of any evidence of what he did to my mother and all his other illegal activity.”

  “I can attest to what Jeremy’s saying. Being on staff all these years, he’s very careful to make sure his key players have passed stringent psychological screenings.”

  Taylor looked around to make sure no other cars were in sight and swerved off the road into a wooded clearing and turned to face Evelyn.

  “Give me your phone.”

  “What?”

  Jeremy sensed what she was up to, and from the corner of her eye she saw him pull the gun out of the satchel where he’d stashed it.

  “I want to believe that you’re going to help us. But how do I know you don’t just want us to lead you to Carl?”

  “Fair enough.” She handed the phone to Taylor.

  “Now get out of the car.”

  “What are you doing?” Jeremy asked. You’re not leaving her here?”

  “Keep the gun on her. I want to search her.”

  They both moved behind the car and Evelyn put her hands up while Taylor patted her down.

  “Okay, you can get back in. Give me your purse as well.” Taylor threw it to Jeremy, then put the car back in drive. “Take out her wallet, then throw the rest out the window. We don’t have time to look for a tracking device.”

  “Taylor, you have to believe me. Now that I know the truth, I could never work for Damon again. He truly never showed me that side of him. All I saw was his educational programs.”

  “Don’t you think it’s time you were honest with yourself at least? You had to know he was up to no good. You were the one administering the tests. What did you think he was doing?”

  “A lot of companies use psychological testing on their employees. I thought he was a visionary intent on improving the world, that his work with doctors and lawyers was progressive. I believed in what he told me, that he wanted to relieve suffering through euthanasia, improve health, through genetic engineering.”

  “And what did you think he was going to do with Taylor?”

  “He told me that Jack Logan had kidnapped her, that Warwick asked him to help. Jack’s face was all over the news. I had no reason not to believe him.”

  Taylor still wasn’t completely convinced, but Evelyn’s words had the ring of truth to them. She needed to figure out a way to be certain. “I want to believe you, but you can understand if I’m having trouble trusting people these days.”

  “Record me. Record me saying that I’m helping Jeremy get back at his father. I’ll say that I’m going to testify that I knew Maya and that I believe he killed her.”

  “What will that accomplish?”

  “An insurance policy. You can email it to whomever you want, and they can send it to Crosse if I double-cross you.” She threw her hands up. “It’s all I have.”

  “You could always say we made you do it,” Taylor said.

  “I know my father, that’ll be enough for him to doubt her and have her killed.”

  Jeremy swiped to video and recorded Evelyn saying the incriminating words. “Done. I’ve emailed it to three of my people.”

  “All right. We still have to figure out a way t
o take him down,” Taylor said. “I think we need to get back into the Institute and try and get his files.”

  “Impossible. The video surveillance would pick us up before we got close and his security detail would get us,” Jeremy said.

  She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. “What else can we do? We can’t let him get away with all of it.” She had an idea. “What if we don’t sneak in? What if we’re invited?”

  “What do you mean?” Evelyn asked.

  “I’ll call him. Say I want to meet him. I’ll go in, wear a wire, and get him to admit to everything.” Even as the words left her lips, she realized she’d watched too many detective shows.

  “No way,” both Evelyn and Jeremy answered.

  “You can’t go near him. It’s too dangerous. If anyone is going in, it’s me. Problem is, he just wants me dead. After everything I’ve done to hamper his plans—turning Malcolm, finding you—he wants vengeance.”

  “There’s something he wants even more,” Taylor said.

  “What?” Jeremy asked.

  “The coins.”

  “The what?” Evelyn asked.

  Ignoring her, Taylor went on. “If you call and say you want to talk to him and use the coins as a bargaining chip, he’d have to let you in. He wouldn’t risk losing them forever. You’d have to prove that you have them though, bring some with you.”

  “I don’t like that. If he gets his hands on them, it will only make him more powerful.”

  “He’s not going to get to keep them. We have to figure out a way to get you in and then contain him while you download the file from the main computer.”

  “I think I can help with that,” Evelyn said.

  “How?” Taylor asked.

  “The head of security. I practically raised him. If I call him and tell him I need to get on site undetected, I think he can rig the security cameras so that they play old tape—Jeremy could sneak whomever he wanted on site to help.”

  “Are you sure he’d do that? What would you tell him?” Jeremy asked.

  “If I tell him I messed up on a dossier, that I need to replace it without Damon’s knowing, he’ll do it.”