Chapter 9 - Owen Price Was Working With Voss
Mark wanted Owen arrested immediately.
Rebecca wanted an explanation.
They got both.
State police stopped Graham’s vehicle two hours later.
Neither man resisted.
Owen asked one question.
“Is Ellis alive?”
Rebecca watched the recorded interview.
When told yes, Owen cried.
Then he confessed.
He had worked with Graham Voss.
Not for Elaine.
Against her.
Graham had spent years suspecting his uncle Arthur’s legacy was built on crimes.
After Arthur died, Graham found references to Station Grey.
He contacted Owen.
Together they searched for the ledger.
Major Ellis later joined them.
“Then who kidnapped Ellis?” Rebecca asked.
Owen looked directly into the camera.
“Elaine.”
Rebecca felt the pieces shift.
Graham confirmed Elaine discovered their investigation.
She used private contractors tied to Meridian’s successor company.
Ellis was abducted because he had copied the casualty records.
Owen and Graham hid.
Why had Graham photographed Rebecca and Mark?
To confirm Ellis’s anonymous package worked.
They needed Rebecca involved because she had enough standing to force an official investigation.
Mark stared.
“You people could have just called.”
Owen shook his head.
“We didn’t know who was safe.”
“You knew my father.”
Owen’s face broke.
“Yes.”
“You knew he was alive.”
“Yes.”
“And you never told me.”
Owen looked down.
“I promised him.”
Mark stood.
“You all love promises when somebody else pays for them.”
Rebecca did not stop him from leaving.
Owen deserved the sentence.
Then Rebecca asked about the ledger.
Owen smiled faintly.
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“I’m not telling you.”
“Why?”
“Because Cross is still on this installation.”
Rebecca frowned.
“You think Cross works with Elaine?”
“I know he did.”
“Did?”
Owen explained Cross helped Arthur Voss monitor Daniel after his release.
Years later, Cross became uncomfortable with the continuing threats.
He tried to distance himself.
Daniel did not trust him.
Neither did Owen.
But Cross may not be part of Elaine’s current operation.
“Then who is?”
Owen named Meridian’s successor.
A contractor called Northstar Integrated Systems.
Northstar held communications and logistics contracts across several installations.
Its vice president for government programs was Elaine Voss’s daughter.
Catherine Voss.
Rebecca stared.
Arthur’s daughter.
Graham’s cousin.
Another generation carrying the secret.
Catherine had never served in uniform.
She did not need to.
Her company had access.
Facilities.
Systems.
Contractors.
Data.
The current conspiracy lived partly outside the Army.
That explained how records were altered without obvious military orders.
Rebecca asked, “Where is Catherine?”
Owen answered:
“On her way here.”
Northstar had a quarterly contract review at Fort Briar tomorrow.
Catherine was scheduled to attend.
Rebecca almost admired the arrogance.
Or perhaps Catherine did not know the investigation had reached her.
Owen finally explained the ledger.
Arthur Voss kept it because Meridian paid him.
Not simply for intelligence.
For steering contracts.
Winter Lantern threatened to expose a network of corrupt procurement and unauthorized information exchanges.
The ledger included historical payments.
But Owen discovered recent additions in the same archive.
Elaine had continued the system.
Catherine modernized it.
Daniel’s secret had survived because the business survived.
Mark returned to the room.
“Where’s the ledger?”
Owen looked at him.
“Your father told me never to give it to one person.”
“Why?”
“Because one person can disappear.”
Mark’s anger softened.
Owen continued.
“So I split it.”
Three encrypted copies.
Three custodians.
Ellis had one key.
Graham had another.
Owen held the third.
All three were needed.
Rebecca nodded.
“Then open it.”
Owen hesitated.
“If we do, people currently serving will be exposed.”
“That’s the point.”
“Some may be innocent names in old records.”
“Then investigators distinguish them.”
Owen studied her.
“You sound like your father.”
Rebecca’s face hardened.
“No.”
She leaned closer.
“My father hid the truth because he thought he could control the consequences.”
She looked at Mark.
“I’m done inheriting that mistake.”
Owen nodded.
The three keys were combined.
The ledger opened.
Hundreds of entries.
Old.
New.
Contracts.
Payments.
Aliases.
Then Mark saw a familiar name.
He stopped.
“No.”
Rebecca followed his eyes.
SERGEANT MARK REAGAN.
A payment entry appeared beside his name.
$75,000.
Northstar Integrated Systems.
Mark stared.
“I never took that money.”
Rebecca believed him.
May you like
But the ledger said otherwise.
And the transaction was dated only six months earlier.
