Chapter 13 #2
The Thornfield Building is a glass and steel monument to ego, with William's name in gold letters across the front. The security desk is empty; the elevators are still running.
"Fourteenth floor," I say, remembering from a tour years ago. "Penthouse office."
The elevator ride feels endless. When the doors open, the hallway is dark except for light spilling from the corner office.
"I wondered when you'd figure it out," William's voice carries down the hall. "Come in. Let's end this civilized."
"Stay behind me," Jax whispers, and I nod. I have no intention of getting in the way now.
Jax goes first, weapon drawn. The office is massive, with floor-to-ceiling windows showing the entire town. Building 2 is clearly visible, as is the smoke still rising from Building 3.
William sits behind his desk, looking like he's in a board meeting rather than a standoff. There's a device in front of him—a tablet with what looks like a timer display.
"Insurance," he says, noting my stare. "Dead man's switch. If I press this button, Building 2 goes up. Then Building 1. Then the memory facility."
"You're finished," Jax says, weapon trained on him. "There's nowhere to run."
"I'm not running. I'm negotiating." He looks at me.
"You destroyed Building 3. You tried to kill me."
"Business, not personal. Well, mostly not personal." He smiles coldly. "You were too good at your job. The buildings stayed valuable and occupied. I needed them empty, worthless. Then I could buy them for pennies, develop the land, make billions. But no—you had to be competent."
"So you recruited Morrison and your wife?"
"Morrison was easy. Ambitious, greedy, stupid. Valerie..." He shrugs. "She wanted out of our marriage. I gave her a reason to have an affair, then used it against her."
"You're a monster," I say.
"I'm a businessman. And I'm offering you a deal. Walk away, and everyone lives."
"Counter-offer," Captain Ramirez says from the doorway, SWAT team behind him. "You surrender, and you live."
William laughs. "You think I care about prison? I'm seventy-three years old, bankrupt, and my entire life's work is destroyed. But I can still take them all with me." His finger hovers over the tablet with a large red button displayed. "Your choice, Ms. Greene."
I look at Jax, at the captain, at the device in William's hands. Then, I look out the window at my town. My home. The buildings I've protected, the people I've served.
"No deal," I say.
William's eyes narrow. "Then they all—"
The tablet goes dark. He presses frantically, but nothing happens. He shakes it, hits the power button, but it stays dead.
"Did you really think we'd leave active devices after finding them?" Captain Morgan says, entering with the bomb squad. "We disabled all remote triggers and killed the Wi-Fi an hour ago. That tablet's controlling nothing."
William's face goes white, then red. He lunges for something in his desk drawer, but Jax is faster, tackling him to the ground.
"William Thornfield, you're under arrest for arson, attempted murder, conspiracy, and about seventeen other charges," Jax says, cuffing him.
"You're bankrupt," I say to William. "How did you afford military-grade explosives?"
William laughs. "Bankrupt on paper. I've been moving money offshore for five years, preparing for this. Shell companies, cryptocurrency, hidden accounts. The bankruptcy was just to avoid taxes and creditors while I liquidated everything for this plan."
"So, the whole financial crisis was fake?" I’m in disbelief.
"Misdirection, Ms. Greene. Let everyone think I'm desperate and broken while I fund the actual plan. Twenty million dollars is hidden across various accounts. Enough for explosives, bribes, and a new life in a non-extradition country."
Captain Ramirez steps forward. "Those accounts are frozen as of an hour ago. The FBI found them all."
William's face finally shows actual fear.
"You can't prove anything!" William screams. "My lawyers—"
"Already dropped you," Captain Ramirez says.
"Funny thing about lawyers. They don't like clients who plan to flee the country and leave them unpaid.
" He starts to step away, but turns back to Thornfield. “Plus, you just admitted everything in front of a room filled with law enforcement officers. I’d say we can prove a lot.”
As they drag William out, still screaming about lawsuits and revenge, I sink into a chair. It's over. It's actually over.
"You okay?" Jax asks, kneeling beside me.
"Building 3 is still gone. All those units, those homes."
"But no one died. You saved them all."
"We saved them. The whole town."
He pulls me into his arms, and I finally let myself cry. For the building we lost, for the terror of the last few days, for the relief that it's over.
My phone buzzes one last time. But this time it's Gladys.
Gladys: Saw the arrest on the news. The FBIs are proud of you! Celebration at Hooplas tomorrow. We're bringing our badges!
I laugh through my tears, showing Jax the message.
"They're never giving up those badges, are they?"
"Never," he agrees. "But they've earned them."
Through the window, I can see the lights of Hibiscus Harbor. Building 2 stands safe. Building 1 intact. The memory center untouched. My town, my home, my family—all still here.
"Ready to go home?" Jax asks.
"Yeah," I say, taking his hand. "Let's go home."