Chapter 8 - THE WOMAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
Brooke disappeared.
Her phone went straight to voicemail.
Ryan claimed he didn't know where she was.
I didn't believe him.
Neither did Michelle.
Then, at midnight, someone knocked on my hotel-room door.
I opened it.
Brooke stood there.
Her face was bruised.
I nearly shut the door.
“Please.”
I let her in.
“What happened?”
“They found me.”
“Who?”
“The people Ryan works for.”
I stared at her.
“Ryan doesn't work for criminals.”
Brooke laughed bitterly.
“You still believe that?”
I didn't answer.
She sat down.
“I was with Ryan that night because he was transporting money.”
My stomach turned.
“What?”
“Cash.”
“How much?”
“Millions.”
I stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because Ryan owed them.”
“Why would a pilot owe criminals millions?”
“He wasn't supposed to be a pilot forever.”
“What does that mean?”
She pulled out a photograph.
It showed Ryan standing beside several men I didn't recognize.
“He used his helicopters to transport things.”
“What things?”
“Money. Documents. Sometimes people.”
I felt sick.
“You're lying.”
“I wish I were.”
She reached into her bag.
“I kept a second copy of the recording.”
She handed me a tiny device.
“Why?”
“Because I knew one day Ryan would choose himself over me.”
I looked at her.
“He chose you over me.”
“No.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“He chose me because he knew I could expose him.”
Then she whispered:
“And Natalie… the wildfire wasn't an accident.”
I stared at her.
“What are you saying?”
“They knew your son was at that camp.”
My heart stopped.
“Who?”
Brooke looked toward the window.
“Someone wanted Ryan to come there.”
“Why?”
“To force him to choose.”
I couldn't breathe.
“Choose what?”
She looked at me.
“Between saving his family…”
May you like
She paused.
“…and protecting me.”
