Chapter 14 - THE QUEEN RETURNS
Eleanor Cross had lived in Switzerland for fourteen years.
Nathaniel had spoken to his mother perhaps six times during that period.
She had left Chicago after Julian’s supposed death, blaming Malcolm for destroying their family.
Nathaniel remembered her as elegant, intelligent, and emotionally distant.
When Arthur told him Eleanor had boarded a private jet bound for Chicago, he felt no relief.
Only suspicion.
Carol noticed.
“You’re afraid of your mother?”
“No.”
“Your left eye does that thing when you’re lying.”
Nathaniel looked offended.
“What thing?”
“That little twitch.”
“I do not twitch.”
“You twitch.”
Arthur entered.
“He twitches.”
Nathaniel stared at both of them.
“This family has become disrespectful.”
Ivy shouted from the hallway.
“Daddy twitches!”
Carol burst out laughing.
For one precious moment, fear disappeared.
Then Eleanor arrived.
Her silver hair was styled perfectly.
She wore a cream coat and carried no visible luggage.
She embraced Nathaniel lightly.
“You look like Malcolm.”
“Hello, Mother.”
Her eyes shifted to Carol.
“So.”
Carol extended a hand.
“Carol Bennett.”
Eleanor ignored the hand.
“I know exactly who you are.”
Nathaniel’s jaw tightened.
“Mother.”
Eleanor studied Carol.
“You’re prettier than the newspapers suggest.”
Carol lowered her hand.
“Thank you, I think.”
Ivy appeared behind Nathaniel.
Eleanor froze.
The little girl stared at her.
“Who are you?”
Nathaniel answered.
“My mother.”
Ivy’s eyes widened.
“You’re Grandma?”
Nobody breathed.
Eleanor looked down.
Something unexpected happened.
Her hard expression cracked.
“Yes.”
Ivy smiled.
“I never had a grandma.”
Eleanor’s eyes filled so quickly she turned away.
Nathaniel noticed.
Interesting.
They moved into the library.
Nathaniel placed evidence photographs on the table.
“Everett says you’re involved.”
Eleanor didn’t react.
“In what?”
“Smuggling. David’s death. Julian.”
“I knew Julian was alive.”
Nathaniel stood.
“You knew?”
“Sit down.”
“No.”
Eleanor sighed.
“Your brother contacted me eight years ago.”
“And you said nothing.”
“He threatened to kill you.”
Nathaniel laughed bitterly.
“So everybody in this family protects people by lying.”
Eleanor accepted the accusation.
“Yes.”
Carol watched carefully.
“What did Julian want?”
“Access to family trusts.”
“Did you give it?”
“No.”
“Then why did Everett mention you?”
Eleanor opened her purse.
She removed a thick folder.
“Because Everett worked for me.”
Arthur shifted.
Nathaniel stared.
“Explain.”
“I spent twelve years investigating Julian’s network.”
She opened photographs, banking records, names.
“After his disappearance, I never believed he drowned.”
“You abandoned us to investigate him?”
“I left because Malcolm refused.”
Nathaniel looked stunned.
Eleanor continued.
“Everett became my source inside Cross Industries.”
Carol frowned.
“Then why did Everett kill David?”
“He wasn’t supposed to.”
For the first time, Eleanor looked genuinely shaken.
“When David discovered the smuggling, Everett panicked. He believed exposure would warn Julian that someone inside the organization was helping me.”
“So he killed an innocent man.”
“Yes.”
“And you protected Everett.”
“No.”
Eleanor’s voice sharpened.
“I didn’t learn the truth until two months ago.”
Nathaniel leaned closer.
“Why not tell me?”
“Because you were engaged to Vanessa Hale.”
Carol understood.
“You thought Nathaniel was compromised.”
Eleanor nodded.
“I believed Vanessa was placed near him by Richard and Julian.”
Nathaniel paced.
“I nearly married her.”
“That was their plan.”
“To gain Cross Industries?”
“Yes.”
Eleanor looked at Carol.
“Then your daughter destroyed two decades of strategy with one sentence.”
Carol thought of Ivy whispering at the wedding.
She hurts Mommy when you leave.
Eleanor almost smiled.
“Children have terrible timing for conspiracies.”
Nathaniel sat.
“What happens now?”
“We turn Everett.”
“He murdered David.”
“He will stand trial.”
Carol nodded firmly.
Eleanor looked at her.
“But first he can give prosecutors names.”
“How many?”
Eleanor opened another page.
Judges.
Police officials.
Port inspectors.
Corporate executives.
Dozens.
Nathaniel exhaled.
“This could shake the entire city.”
“It should.”
Carol studied Eleanor.
“You spent fourteen years doing this?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Eleanor looked toward Nathaniel.
“Because I failed my sons.”
Nathaniel’s expression changed.
“I raised Julian to believe inheritance was love. I raised Nathaniel to believe strength required loneliness.”
Her voice weakened.
“Malcolm and I built an empire and called it a family.”
Nathaniel looked away.
Eleanor turned to Carol.
“You built something better in one year.”
Carol didn’t know what to say.
Suddenly Arthur’s phone rang.
He answered.
His face hardened.
“What?”
Everyone turned.
Arthur slowly lowered the phone.
“Federal transport carrying Everett Sloan was attacked.”
Nathaniel stood.
“Everett?”
“Missing.”
“And the agents?”
“Two injured.”
Carol felt cold.
Eleanor closed her eyes.
Nathaniel looked at his mother.
“If Julian is in custody, who ordered it?”
May you like
Eleanor whispered:
“Richard Hale.”
