James examined the control panel.
"How do we turn it off?"
Catherine shook her head.
"We don't."
Richard laughed.
"Exactly."
He placed the remote in his pocket.
Then he looked at Evelyn.
"You have your mother's eyes."
Evelyn stared at him.
"Don't talk about my mother."
"Which one?"
The question was cruel.
Catherine stepped forward.
"Richard, leave her alone."
He turned toward her.
"You've caused enough trouble."
"You destroyed my life."
"I gave you a chance to live."
"You took my daughter."
Richard's expression hardened.
"You abandoned her."
Catherine shook her head.
"I didn't abandon her. You threatened to kill her if I ever tried to take her away."
Richard smiled.
"And you believed me."
Catherine looked at Evelyn.
"I was young. I was frightened. I thought Victoria could give you a safer life."
Evelyn's voice trembled.
"Did Victoria know?"
"Yes."
"Did she know you were my mother?"
Catherine nodded.
"She promised to protect you."
Evelyn looked away.
Everything was becoming more painful than she could bear.
Daniel had known.
Victoria had known.
Richard had known.
Everyone had built a life around a secret while Evelyn grew up believing she belonged to a family that had never truly been hers.
Then James shouted.
"There's a second control panel!"
He had found a small metal box behind the altar.
Inside were several switches.
Catherine rushed toward him.
"Don't touch the red one!"
James stopped.
"Why?"
"It activates the emergency release, but it also triggers the underground system."
Richard suddenly lunged toward them.
Evelyn moved instinctively.
She grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back.
The remote fell to the floor.
Richard cried out.
For a moment, the powerful businessman was completely helpless.
"Let go of me!"
Evelyn held him down.
"Tell me what happened to Daniel."
Richard struggled.
"You're making a mistake."
"Tell me!"
He looked at her.
Then he whispered:
"He was going to give Catherine the documents."
Evelyn tightened her grip.
"And?"
"I couldn't allow it."
"Did you kill him?"
Richard said nothing.
"Did you kill my brother?"
Finally, he answered.
"Yes."
Evelyn closed her eyes.
The words she had feared were now undeniable.
Richard continued.
"But I didn't do it alone."
She looked up.
"What?"
He smiled faintly.
"Your mother was there."
Evelyn turned toward Catherine.
Catherine looked devastated.
"He's lying."
Richard laughed.
"Ask her what she was doing when Daniel was shot."
Catherine lowered her eyes.
For several seconds, she couldn't speak.
Then she whispered:
"I was trying to save him."
Evelyn released Richard.
"What does that mean?"
Catherine took a trembling breath.
"Daniel had discovered that Richard was planning to use your military deployment to move a shipment of restricted equipment. He knew the operation would put your entire unit in danger."
Evelyn stared at her.
"Why didn't he warn me?"
"He tried. Richard intercepted his messages."
Catherine wiped her eyes.
"The night Daniel died, I arranged a meeting with him. I wanted to give him the original documents. But Richard found us."
"Who fired the gun?"
Catherine looked directly at her.
"Richard."
"Then why did Victoria say you pulled the trigger?"
"Because your mother was trying to protect someone."
"Who?"
Catherine hesitated.
Then the chapel doors suddenly unlocked.
The alarm stopped.
A voice came through the speakers.
"Sergeant Ashford, this is General Hale."
Evelyn froze.
"You're surrounded. Put down any weapons and step away from Richard Ashford."
James looked toward the ceiling.
"How did he get control of the system?"
Richard smiled.
"Because General Hale has always worked for me."
The chapel doors burst open.
Four armed officers entered.
General Marcus Hale walked behind them.
He was wearing his formal military uniform, decorated with medals.
His expression was cold.
"Sergeant Ashford."
Evelyn stepped forward.
"General."
"Step away from Richard."
"You're under investigation."
Hale smiled.
"By whom?"
"Federal authorities."
He laughed.
"Do you know how many federal officials have signed contracts with Ashford Corporation?"
He approached her.
"Do you know how many people would lose their careers if these documents became public?"
Evelyn stared at him.
"That's not my problem."
"It will become your problem."
Hale gestured toward the officers.
"Take her."
James moved in front of Evelyn.
"You'll have to get through me."
One officer raised his weapon.
Catherine shouted.
"Stop!"
Everyone turned.
She was holding the black flash drive.
"The complete recording is on here. Every conversation. Every payment. Every order Richard gave."
Hale's face changed.
"Give it to me."
"No."
Catherine stepped backward.
"You spent years pretending that nobody could touch you. But I kept everything."
Richard looked furious.
"You stupid woman."
Catherine turned toward him.
"Daniel died because of you. Evelyn nearly died because of you. And now you want to kill everyone who knows the truth."
She held the flash drive above her head.
"If you touch me, the files will be released."
Hale slowly lowered his weapon.
"You're bluffing."
Catherine smiled sadly.
"Am I?"
Then every officer's phone began ringing.
One after another.
Hale looked at his screen.
His expression changed completely.
A message had been sent to every major news organization in the country.
THE ASHFORD FILES β COMPLETE EVIDENCE OF A MILITARY CORRUPTION NETWORK.
James looked at Catherine.
"You sent them?"
She nodded.
"Five minutes ago."
Evelyn stared at her.
For the first time, she saw something other than fear in her biological mother's eyes.
She saw courage.
But the victory was short-lived.
Hale suddenly grabbed Catherine's arm.
He twisted it behind her back and pulled a weapon from his belt.
"Nobody moves!"
Evelyn stepped forward.
"Let her go!"
Hale pointed the weapon at Catherine.
"Drop the flash drive!"
Catherine released it.
It hit the floor.
Richard rushed toward it.
James tackled him.
The two men crashed against the wooden pews.
Evelyn moved toward Catherine, but Hale fired.
The bullet struck the wall beside her.
Then a second gunshot rang through the chapel.
Hale collapsed.
Everyone turned.
Victoria stood in the doorway.
She was holding a pistol with both hands.
Her face was pale.
"Enough," she whispered.
The officers immediately raised their weapons.
Victoria dropped the gun.
Evelyn rushed toward her.
"Mom!"
Victoria looked at her daughter.
"I'm sorry."
Then she collapsed.
Blood was spreading across her chest.
An ambulance arrived minutes later.
Victoria was rushed to the hospital.
General Hale was arrested.
Richard was taken into custody after James recovered the flash drive.
Catherine disappeared before the officers could question her.
Evelyn stood outside the chapel, watching the emergency vehicles drive away.
James approached.
"Are you okay?"
She shook her head.
"Why did my mother shoot him?"
"She probably saved Catherine's life."
Evelyn looked toward the road.
"Or maybe she was trying to silence him."
James didn't answer.
Then his phone vibrated.