Chapter 17 - Derek's Last Performance
Derek took one thing with him when he disappeared.
At 6:20 p.m., Whitcomb Medical's network detected it at the old research campus.
Julia had worked there before Sophie was born.
Derek called Caleb directly.
"You need to come."
"No."
"Then you'll never get Julia's original files."
Caleb put the call on speaker.
"Where are they?"
"With me."
"What do you want?"
"A car. Cash. Ten minutes."
"You kidnapped Nora. You tampered with my daughter's clothes. You disabled Julia's steering."
Derek's breathing changed.
"The rash wasn't supposed to be severe."
"You put the chemical on Sophie's clothes."
"I needed you to see something undeniable."
"You hurt an eight-month-old baby to create a picture."
"I needed Malcolm to believe the plan worked."
"No. You needed me to."
Derek had not only served Malcolm.
He had been protecting himself.
If Caleb turned against Nora, nobody would examine the old household logs.
Nobody would find Derek's role in Julia's crash.
The nursery was not just Malcolm's guardianship scheme.
Two conspiracies overlapped.
That was why some pieces never fit.
KEEP HIM TALKING.
"She was going to expose everything."
"Did you mean to kill her?"
"No."
"Did you mean to scare her?"
"Yes."
"You queued the steering command."
"Yes."
"Did you know Malcolm would delay 911?"
"No."
"I swear."
That did not make him innocent.
"Where are the files?"
"In Julia's old lab."
"You brought them."
"You called me during a manhunt."
"You were supposed to come alone."
"I'm done following scripts."
Derek had fired into a ceiling sensor.
He ran toward a service exit.
Officers intercepted him outside.
Just wet pavement, handcuffs, and a man who had spent years arranging everyone else's movements finally losing control of his own.
Inside Julia's lab, investigators found the original files.
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And one video message Julia had recorded for Caleb.
If you are watching this, please do not turn me into a saint.
