Chapter 14 - The Shadow Consultant
Claire stood frozen in the middle of Owen's small living room as the rain slammed against the windowpanes.
"Julian Vance," Claire repeated the name slowly, her brain rapidly connecting the operational nodes.
Julian Vance was a former naval intelligence commander who had been dishonorably discharged eight years ago for selling classified logistics data to private maritime firms.
He was also the estranged uncle of her executive officer, Sarah Vance.
"Did Sarah know about this?" Claire asked, her tone dangerously quiet.
"I don't think so!" Owen pleaded, raising his hands in defense.
"Julian told Mom that Sarah was in on it, but he could have been lying!"
"He told Mom that all they were doing was collecting old administrative research for a book about Dad’s naval career."
"Mom believed him because he promised to pay off her creditors!"
"Where is Margaret now, Owen?" Claire demanded.
"She’s at the Historic Jefferson Hotel in downtown Richmond," Owen admitted, bowing his head.
"Julian put her up in a suite there while they finalized the paperwork."
"Claire... I swear on my life, I didn't know they were accessing sub deployment files!"
"I thought it was just old social memoirs and military dinner records!"
Claire stared at her ex-husband with a mix of pity and absolute coldness.
"Your mother sold national security secrets to cover up her financial vanity," Claire said quietly.
"And you let her sit in your apartment while she set a fuse to my life."
"Claire, please—" Owen reached out to grab her hand.
Claire stepped back, dodging his touch effortlessly.
"Stay here, Owen," Claire ordered, pulling her phone from her trench coat.
"If you attempt to call your mother or Julian Vance, I will have the federal marshals drag you out of this apartment in handcuffs as an accomplice."
She dialed a secure military line.
"Sarah," Claire said the moment the call connected.
"Captain," Sarah’s voice came through clearly.
"Where are you right now?" Claire asked.
"I’m at base headquarters in Norfolk, ma'am," Sarah answered.
"Why?"
"Does the name Julian Vance mean anything to you?" Claire asked point-blank.
There was a sudden, sharp silence on the line.
When Sarah spoke again, her voice was trembling slightly.
"Julian is my uncle, Captain."
"He was disowned by our family years ago."
"Why are you asking about him?"
"Because your uncle just used Margaret Ellison to hack my old Norfolk administrative portal," Claire stated coldly.
"And he’s currently sitting in a hotel room in Richmond, getting ready to sell Atlantic Fleet submarine logistics to the highest bidder."
"Oh my god," Sarah gasped over the phone.
"Captain... I had no idea! I swear to you—"
"I know you didn't, Sarah," Claire interrupted.
"Which is why you are going to help me take him down before NCIS reaches my desk tomorrow morning."
"Meet me at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond in forty-five minutes."
"Bring full tactical intelligence units from the base security office."
"Understood, Captain!" Sarah replied instantly.
Claire ended the call and looked down at Owen one last time.
"Your mother wanted a story to make her family look important, Owen," Claire said softly, walking toward the door.
May you like
"Tonight, she’s going to get a front-row seat to the final chapter."
---
