Chapter 11 - The Parking Garage
Claire had no intention of going alone.
She also had no intention of letting Daniel know that.
Nathan called the police from Owen’s phone.
Claire called a second number.
Detective Rachel Sloan.
A name Maria had given her years ago after a burglary at the house.
Rachel answered on the second ring.
“Claire?”
“I need help.”
Within thirty seconds, Rachel stopped asking questions and started giving instructions.
“Do not enter the garage until we’re there.”
“He has Maria.”
“I heard you.”
“He’ll hurt her.”
“And if you walk in blind, he’ll have two hostages.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Every second mattered.
Vanessa stood nearby, trembling.
“I can help.”
Claire turned.
“You already did.”
Vanessa flinched.
“I mean now.”
“No.”
“I know the garage.”
“So do I.”
“He has a storage room on level B3.”
Nathan looked at her.
“What storage room?”
Vanessa swallowed.
“He rented it under DVC Holdings.”
Claire stared.
“What’s inside?”
“I don’t know.”
“Try again.”
Vanessa’s voice cracked.
“Documents. Cash. Phones. I never asked.”
“You never asked because you didn’t want the answer.”
Vanessa looked ashamed.
“Yes.”
They drove in two vehicles.
Claire rode with Rachel after meeting her two blocks away.
Police units staged out of sight.
Nathan and Owen stayed behind with the evidence.
Vanessa insisted on coming.
Rachel nearly refused, then changed her mind when Vanessa gave her the storage unit number.
At 11:58, Claire walked into the garage alone.
At least, that was what Daniel saw.
He stood beside a black sedan.
Maria sat in the passenger seat.
She looked frightened but unhurt.
Daniel held her phone.
The next minutes moved fast, and every answer only exposed a deeper part of Daniel’s plan.
He smiled.
“Your father only found twenty-two.”
Claire felt a chill.
“How much?”
“Sixty-three million.”
Behind Daniel, Maria’s door suddenly opened.
She ran.
Daniel spun.
A police voice shouted from the ramp.
“Hands where we can see them!”
Daniel grabbed the tote from Claire and bolted toward the B3 stairwell.
Rachel yelled, “Claire, stay back!”
But Daniel reached the stairwell door and shouted something over his shoulder.
May you like
“If I go down, your mother’s secret goes public!”
Then he vanished below.
