Chapter 6 - The Warehouse Ledger
The original Callaway warehouse sat beside the Chicago River behind three rows of abandoned freight buildings.
Dominic Callaway had started his first shipping company there forty-two years earlier.
Roman had not entered the property since his father’s death.
Sophia carried Gabriel while Roman unlocked an office hidden behind the old loading dock.
Dust covered everything.
A steel desk.
Two filing cabinets.
A cracked leather chair.
Roman searched until he found a floor safe beneath the desk.
The combination was his mother’s birthday.
Inside were ledgers dating back almost twenty years.
Roman opened the final book.
Three names appeared repeatedly.
Dominic Callaway.
Silas Callaway.
Jonah Vale.
Sophia leaned closer.
“What are those payments?”
Roman followed the numbers.
Millions had moved through shell companies linked to the Callaway Foundation.
But the signatures beside the transfers were not Dominic’s.
They belonged to Silas.
Jonah’s name appeared beside several handwritten notes.
AUDIT REQUESTED.
TRANSFER UNAUTHORIZED.
REPORT TO D.C.
Roman looked up.
“Jonah discovered it.”
“Discovered what?”
“Silas was stealing from the foundation.”
The scheme had begun long before Vincent’s supposed death.
Jonah had apparently found evidence and threatened to report it.
Three days later, Jonah disappeared.
Vincent died the same week.
Sophia stared at the ledger.
“So Jonah was killed because he knew.”
Roman did not answer immediately.
He hated conclusions without proof.
But everything pointed in the same direction.
A floorboard creaked outside.
Roman closed the ledger.
“Stay behind the desk.”
Sophia moved with Gabriel.
Roman walked toward the door.
“Who’s there?”
A figure stepped into the warehouse.
Davis.
Roman lowered his weapon slightly.
“How did you find us?”
Davis stopped.
For one fraction of a second, his expression gave him away.
Roman saw it.
Sophia saw Roman see it.
Davis raised both hands.
“Your car tracker.”
“My car has no tracker.”
Silence.
Roman’s face changed.
Davis moved first.
He reached for his jacket.
Roman slammed him against the wall before he could draw anything.
A phone hit the floor.
Its screen was unlocked.
One message was visible.
THEY’RE GOING TO THE WAREHOUSE.
Sophia closed her eyes.
Davis stopped struggling.
Roman looked at the man who had worked beside him for nine years.
“You told Silas.”
Davis breathed hard.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He has my daughter.”
Roman froze.
Davis’s anger broke into desperation.
“She’s twenty.”
“She made one stupid mistake.”
“She took money from one of Silas’s accounts without knowing whose it was.”
“He found out.”
“He told me he would send her to prison unless I gave him information.”
Roman released him slightly.
“How long?”
“Six months.”
Sophia spoke from behind the desk.
“Did you tell him about us at the brownstone?”
Davis looked at her.
“Yes.”
Her face hardened.
“You watched my baby sleep after sending men to the house?”
“I warned them not to hurt you.”
“You think that matters?”
“No.”
Davis lowered his eyes.
Roman took the phone.
“Where is your daughter?”
“I don’t know.”
“Silas moves her every few days.”
Roman studied him.
“Then help me find her.”
Davis looked up.
“You’d still help me?”
“No.”
“I’m helping her.”
Roman pocketed the phone.
A loud engine sounded outside.
Headlights swept through the warehouse windows.
Davis went pale.
“They followed me.”
Roman grabbed the ledger.
“How many?”
“Silas usually sends four.”
Another engine arrived.
Then another.
Sophia tightened her arms around Gabriel.
Roman scanned the warehouse.
There was one old river exit.
He pointed toward the loading platform.
“Go.”
Davis looked at him.
“What about you?”
Roman handed him the ledger.
“You wanted a chance to save your daughter?”
“Earn it.”
They moved toward the river door.
Before Roman could reach it, the warehouse lights turned on.
A man stood on the opposite catwalk.
Silas Callaway.
Gray-haired.
Perfectly dressed.
Calm as ever.
He looked down at Gabriel.
Then smiled.
“There he is.”
Sophia stepped backward.
May you like
Silas rested both hands on the railing.
“The most expensive baby in America.”
