Chương 15 - The Ledger
The blast was a breaching charge, small but violent enough to rip the lock apart.
Ortiz fired one warning shot into the ceiling and shouted for everyone to move.
Ethan grabbed Evelyn's hand.
They ran toward the kitchen.
Behind them, men entered the front room.
Grant pulled Miriam by the arm.
“Move!”
They reached the back door as a bullet struck the cabinet beside them.
Wood splintered.
Ethan pushed Evelyn outside.
Snow covered the ground.
The cold hit like a wall.
They sprinted toward the shed.
Ortiz came last, covering them.
Inside the shed sat two snowmobiles and an old pickup truck.
Grant tossed Ethan the keys.
“Truck.”
Ethan tried the ignition.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
Miriam stared at the ledger in her hands.
Then she ripped open the back cover.
A small memory card fell out.
Evelyn looked at her.
“The real records are digital?”
Miriam nodded. “The paper ledger is bait.”
Footsteps approached the shed.
Ortiz whispered, “Give me the card.”
Miriam handed it over.
The shed door opened.
Victor Hale walked in alone.
He was sixty, silver-haired, elegant, wearing a black overcoat and leather gloves.
He looked more like a senator than a criminal.
“Enough,” he said.
Ortiz aimed at him. “Hands where I can see them.”
Victor smiled. “Detective, do you really think I came here without insurance?”
He lifted his phone.
On the screen was live video.
Claire.
Tied to a chair in an apartment.
Evelyn's breath caught.
Ethan moved forward.
Victor pointed a gun at him.
“Don't.”
Ethan stopped.
Victor looked at Ortiz. “Give me the card, and Ms. Bennett gets to go home.”
Ortiz's jaw tightened.
Evelyn stared at the screen.
Claire was conscious.
Terrified.
Then Claire looked directly into the camera and said something.
No audio.
But Evelyn could read her lips.
Don't give it to him.
Victor smiled. “Such a difficult woman.”
Evelyn looked at Ethan.
His face was torn apart by helpless anger.
For the first time, Evelyn understood why he had kept secrets.
Not excused them.
Understood them.
Victor extended his hand.
“The card.”
Miriam suddenly threw the paper ledger into the old oil heater.
Flames leaped.
Victor turned instinctively.
Ortiz tackled him.
The gun fired.
The bullet struck the ceiling.
Ethan lunged.
Grant joined him.
The three men crashed into a workbench.
Evelyn grabbed Victor's fallen phone.
The live video was still connected.
In the corner of the screen, she saw a street sign through a window behind Claire.
Wabash Avenue.
May you like
Apartment 4C.
Evelyn shouted, “I know where Claire is!”
