Chapter 9 - THE LIEUTENANT WHO WANTED THE THRONE
Pierce Rowan had spent twenty years beside Beckett Shaw.
He had built alliances.
Settled disputes.
Managed dangerous men.
And watched Beckett receive the loyalty Pierce believed he deserved.
Over time, resentment became ambition.
Pierce began diverting money from the Shaw Foundation.
He used shell companies to fund his own network.
He recruited loyalists.
He arranged secret deals.
And waited for Beckett to make a mistake.
Taryn Vail became useful.
She was ambitious.
Attracted to power.
And willing to believe Pierce when he promised she could become Mrs. Shaw.
Pierce encouraged the affair.
Then engineered the anniversary confrontation.
He expected Laurel to leave.
He expected Beckett to become distracted.
He expected the organization to fracture.
Then Pierce would take control.
But Laurel's disappearance created an unexpected problem.
She had taken copies of the financial records.
And Daniel Mercer was still alive.
Pierce learned this through an associate.
His expression hardened.
“Find them.”
The associate hesitated.
“What do you want us to do?”
May you like
Pierce looked toward the city.
“Make sure they can't testify.”
