Chapter 18 - The Drop
Dominic's bullet hit Pike's shoulder.
The remote flew from his hand.
Hannah dove.
So did Sebastian.
The remote bounced once on wet concrete.
Sebastian caught it.
Pike fired blindly.
The shot struck Sebastian high in the chest.
He fell backward.
His thumb hit the red button.
The crane cable released.
The container dropped.
"NO!"
Dominic ran for the edge.
The steel box slammed into the river and began sinking nose-first.
Vincent's men stormed the pier.
Two tackled Pike.
Hannah and Sofia reached the edge seconds behind Dominic.
"The crane!" Hannah shouted.
Vincent pointed toward the control cabin.
"Locked out! Pike disabled it."
Dominic stripped off his jacket.
Sofia grabbed him. "You can't open a container underwater!"
"Watch me."
He jumped.
The river swallowed him.
Hannah stared at the black water.
"He's insane."
Sofia was crying. "Yes."
"Is he always like this?"
"When it's family."
Vincent found a bolt cutter and tossed it down.
Dominic surfaced beside the container, grabbed the ladder rungs, and pulled himself onto the tilting roof.
The container had not fully sunk because one corner had snagged on a maintenance chain beneath the pier.
But water was pouring through the lower seals.
Dominic smashed at the door latch.
Inside, the girls screamed.
"Daddy!"
He stopped.
Everyone stopped.
It was the first time either child had called him that.
Dominic's face changed.
Then he hit the latch again with everything he had.
"I'm here!"
"Daddy!"
Hannah sobbed into both hands.
Sofia gripped the railing.
Vincent rappelled down with a second cutter.
Together, the men broke the locking bar.
The door opened six inches.
Water burst out.
Dominic reached inside.
Emma came first, coughing and screaming.
Vincent lifted her to the pier crew.
Then Lily.
Dominic held her against his chest.
"I've got you. I've got you."
The girls were alive.
On the pier, Sebastian lay bleeding beside the dropped remote.
Hannah knelt near him.
His breath rattled.
"Why did you grab it?" she asked.
Sebastian looked toward the river.
"Because once... I took a child."
His eyes filled with pain.
"I wasn't taking another."
Sirens approached.
Pike was handcuffed.
Sofia stood over Sebastian.
He looked at her.
"I am sorry."
She stared at him for a long moment.
"You don't get forgiveness because you finally did one decent thing."
Sebastian nodded faintly.
"I know."
Then he turned to Dominic.
"There's one more file. Your father's safe deposit box. Number 611. It proves everything."
Dominic crouched closer.
"Where's the key?"
Sebastian gave a weak laugh.
"Your wife had it the whole time."
May you like
Sofia looked down at the scar beneath her left wrist.
And suddenly remembered what had been hidden under her skin.
