Chapter 12 - THE BETRAYALRay confessed thirty minutes later.
They were inside Cole's hotel suite.
Maya stood beside the window.
Cole stood near the door.
Ray sat.
"Victor told Roman where Ethan kept his evidence."
Cole already knew Victor had betrayed Ethan.
Ray shook his head.
"Not the whole story."
Cole waited.
Ray looked sick.
"I told Victor."
Silence.
Maya frowned.
"What?"
Ray's eyes filled.
"Ethan moved the ledger. He wouldn't tell anybody where. One night he got drunk and told me."
Cole felt his stomach drop.
"Where?"
"A safe-deposit box under another name."
"And you told Victor."
Ray nodded.
"Why?"
"I thought Victor was helping us."
Cole stared at him.
"You trusted Victor?"
"He told me he had contacts who could get Ethan into witness protection."
Maya closed her eyes.
"Ray…"
"I didn't know!"
Ray slammed his fist against his knee.
"I didn't know Victor was already working for Roman."
Cole said nothing.
Ray's voice broke.
"Victor gave Roman the location. Roman got into the box before Ethan could."
"How?"
"I don't know."
"And then?"
"Ethan confronted me."
Cole imagined it.
His brother realizing the man in his corner had unknowingly destroyed his protection.
"He hated you."
Ray's face folded slightly.
"For about five minutes."
Cole looked away.
"Then?"
"Then he saw how terrified I was. Ethan being Ethan, he started comforting me."
That sounded exactly like him.
Ray wiped his eyes.
"He told me the ledger wasn't the only copy."
Cole turned.
"What?"
"He said he'd built insurance."
"Where?"
"I never knew."
Maya stepped forward.
"Could Victor know?"
Ray nodded.
"Maybe."
Cole pulled out his phone.
Called Victor.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Maya checked her own phone.
"He was supposed to contact us thirty minutes ago."
Cole looked at Ray.
"Where was he getting the current ledger?"
"Roman's office?"
"No. Victor said tonight was his only window."
Maya's face changed.
"The arena."
Cole understood.
Roman would be at the fight tomorrow.
His people would be distracted.
Victor intended to access something during final preparations.
Cole called again.
Straight to voicemail.
At 11:41 p.m., a message arrived.
Not from Victor.
Unknown number.
A photograph loaded.
Victor sat tied to a chair.
Bruised but conscious.
A sheet of paper was taped to his chest.
ROUND SEVEN.
Cole looked at Maya.
May you like
Victor had failed.
And Roman had just removed the only man who knew how to reach the evidence.
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