Chapter 11 - THE GARAGE WHERE MARISSA DIED
Martin had escaped police transport with help from a bribed deputy.
He followed Raymond to the garage.
Raymond turned.
“You led them here.”
Martin raised the gun.
“You took the child without permission.”
“She was my protection.”
“She was our only remaining asset.”
Sophie flinched at the word.
Alejandro stepped closer to her.
“She is not an asset.”
Martin looked at him.
“That attitude is why you never understood how your company survived.”
“You used her money.”
“I invested it.”
“You stole it.”
“I turned twelve million into more than eighty.”
“And built your empire at the same time.”
Alejandro felt sick.
Martin continued.
“You think your negotiations created everything.”
“You think your hard work saved the business.”
“The truth is Sophie saved it before she could speak.”
Alejandro looked at the little girl.
He would spend the rest of his life making that right.
Raymond moved suddenly.
He swung the wrench toward Martin.
The gun fired.
The bullet struck a metal cabinet.
Sophie screamed.
Alejandro ran toward her.
Martin fired again.
Raymond fell beside the repair pit.
Police entered through the rear doors.
Detective Brooks ordered Martin to drop the weapon.
He grabbed Sophie instead.
Alejandro stopped.
Martin pressed the gun against the pink blanket around her shoulders.
“Open the outer door.”
“You will never leave this road.”
“I only need enough time.”
Sophie looked at Alejandro.
Her face was pale.
But her eyes were clear.
She slowly lifted the tablet from beneath the blanket.
Raymond had placed it there after checking the files.
Sophie pressed the play button.
Marissa’s voice filled the garage.
“Martin changed the beneficiary records.”
Martin’s attention shifted toward the sound.
Sophie ducked.
Alejandro lunged forward.
He struck Martin’s wrist.
The gun slid across the concrete.
Detective Brooks tackled Martin.
Officers pulled Sophie away from the repair pit.
Raymond remained alive.
Paramedics treated the wound in his shoulder.
Alejandro held Sophie against him.
“You kept the tablet.”
“Mom said it tells the truth.”
“Yes.”
“She helped find me.”
Alejandro closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
“She did.”
Police searched the garage.
Inside a locked office, they found Marissa’s original brake hose, Martin’s edited audio equipment, and the complete trust ledger.
They also found a letter addressed to Valerie.
It had been written by Raymond after Marissa’s death.
You wanted her frightened.
May you like
Martin wanted her silent.
I did what both of you asked.
