We descended.
Mercer’s voice rose from below.
“Michael Holloway!”
Calm.
Confident.
Almost amused.
“Forty-six years is a long time to make a man wait.”
Michael whispered, “Back exit.”
We crossed the loading floor.
The rear exit was chained.
Ryan searched for bolt cutters.
Thomas checked another route.
Then emergency lights came on.
Mercer stood twenty feet away.
Two men beside him.
Rebecca stood slightly behind.
Her eyes fixed on Daniel.
“I’m sorry.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
Even in that terrible moment, I understood exactly how he felt.
Mercer looked at me.
“So you’re Margaret.”
“And you’re the man who apparently ruined half my marriage without ever meeting me.”
He smiled.
“Michael ruined your marriage. I simply gave him reasons to lie.”
Michael stepped in front of me.
“What do you want?”
“The ledger.”
Thomas held up the flash drive.
“This?”
Mercer’s smile disappeared.
Thomas said, “Everything has already been copied.”
