Chapter 8 - THE WAREHOUSE
The old warehouse stood near the harbor.
Marcus arrived at 11:48 p.m.
Victoria stayed hidden in the car.
Police were positioned several blocks away.
Tom had arranged additional surveillance.
But Marcus knew none of it mattered if Richard had anticipated them.
He entered carrying the flash drive.
“Richard!”
His voice echoed.
A light turned on.
Richard stood in the center of the warehouse.
Ben was sitting beside him.
Marcus's heart broke.
His son looked exhausted.
But alive.
“Daddy!”
Marcus nearly ran to him.
Richard raised one hand.
“Slowly.”
Marcus stopped.
“Let him go.”
“First the drive.”
Marcus held it up.
Richard smiled.
“Put it on the table.”
Marcus did.
Richard walked toward it.
Then Ben whispered:
“Daddy.”
Marcus looked at him.
Ben's eyes moved toward the floor.
Three times.
Marcus understood.
He was trying to communicate something.
Marcus looked down.
A tiny red mark had been drawn on the floor.
A line.
Then another.
An arrow.
Ben was showing him where something was.
Marcus realized his son wasn't helpless.
He was observing.
Just like his mother.
Richard picked up the flash drive.
“Excellent.”
Marcus stared at Ben.
“Can I talk to him?”
Richard shrugged.
“Briefly.”
Marcus walked closer.
“Ben.”
“Daddy.”
“You're brave.”
Ben nodded.
“Mommy said I should be.”
Marcus's heart broke.
“She's right.”
Richard suddenly looked toward the entrance.
“What was that?”
Marcus used the moment.
He lunged.
Richard stepped backward.
A gunshot exploded.
Marcus hit the floor.
Police rushed in.
Chaos erupted.
Richard ran.
Marcus grabbed Ben.
He held him tightly.
“Daddy!”
“I've got you.”
Victoria entered.
Ben screamed:
“Mommy!”
Victoria fell to her knees.
Her son ran into her arms.
She sobbed.
Marcus watched them.
For the first time in months, his family was together.
Then Richard's voice echoed from the shadows.
“You think you've won?”
Marcus turned.
Richard was gone.
Tom approached.
“He escaped.”
Marcus looked at the flash drive.
It was missing.
Richard had taken it.
But Marcus smiled.
“What?”
Tom asked.
Marcus looked toward Ben.
“He took the wrong drive.”
Tom frowned.
Marcus pulled the real flash drive from his pocket.
“The one I gave him was a copy.”
Victoria stared at him.
“You planned this?”
“No.”
Marcus looked at his family.
“I learned from you.”
They returned home before dawn.
Ben slept between Marcus and Victoria.
Marcus couldn't stop looking at him.
Victoria watched quietly.
“You're different.”
Marcus looked at her.
“How?”
“You're here.”
He lowered his eyes.
“I should have been.”
Victoria touched his hand.
“You were grieving.”
“I was hiding.”
She didn't argue.
“I thought keeping Ben away from me would protect him.”
“You thought you were protecting him.”
“I was wrong.”
Victoria smiled sadly.
“You can still make it right.”
Marcus looked at their sleeping son.
“I will.”
Then the bedroom door opened.
Pia stood there.
She looked terrified.
“Marcus.”
He stood.
“What happened?”
She handed him a document.
“My mother woke up.”
Marcus frowned.
“What?”
“She wants to talk to you.”
“About Richard?”
Pia shook her head.
“No.”
“Then what?”
Pia swallowed.
“She said Victoria wasn't the only person Richard tried to kill.”
Marcus looked at Victoria.
Victoria's face went pale.
“Who else?”
Pia whispered:
“Your father had another child.”
Silence.
Marcus stared.
“What?”
Pia continued.
“Richard wasn't your father's only brother.”
Marcus felt a chill.
“Who was?”
Pia looked at Victoria.
Then Marcus.
“She said the person controlling Richard isn't Richard.”
Marcus's stomach dropped.
“Then who?”
Pia answered:
“Your father's other son.”
Marcus couldn't speak.
Victoria slowly stood.
“But your father only had one son.”
Pia shook her head.
“No.”
She placed another photograph on the table.
A young man stood beside Marcus's father.
Marcus stared at the face.
He looked almost identical to himself.
Under the photograph was a name.
Nathan Delgado.
And beneath it:
Age 31.
Marcus looked at Victoria.
“Who is Nathan?”
Victoria whispered:
“I don't know.”
Pia looked toward the window.
“But someone does.”
May you like
Outside, a black SUV was parked across the street.
Watching the house.
