Chapter 11 - The Shot
Marcus shouted.
Richard was already running.
Ortiz grabbed his vest.
“Richard!”
He tore free.
Another gunshot echoed inside the factory.
Then another.
The tactical commander gave the order.
Teams moved.
The eastern door blew inward.
Richard followed before Ortiz could stop him.
Smoke filled the loading corridor.
Marcus ran behind him.
“Second floor!”
They reached the stairwell.
A man appeared at the top.
Tactical officers ordered him down.
He fired.
They returned fire.
Richard ducked behind the concrete wall.
The man disappeared.
Marcus took the stairs two at a time.
“Olivia!”
Richard followed.
The second-floor production hall opened ahead.
Huge rusted machines filled the space.
Chains hung from the ceiling.
Morning light pushed through dirty windows.
“Vanessa!”
No answer.
Then a child cried.
“Daddy!”
Marcus ran.
“OLIVIA!”
A tactical officer grabbed him before he crossed an exposed aisle.
“Wait!”
A red laser moved across the floor.
Sniper.
Everyone dropped.
Glass shattered.
A shot struck a steel beam.
Officers returned fire toward the catwalk.
Richard crawled behind a machine.
Then he saw someone lying ten feet away.
Daniel.
Blood spread across his shirt near the shoulder.
Alive.
Barely conscious.
Richard crawled to him.
“Daniel.”
Daniel opened his eyes.
“Recorder.”
Richard looked toward the smashed pieces.
“Where is the key?”
Daniel smiled weakly.
“Not there.”
Richard stared.
“You destroyed it.”
“No.”
“You said—”
“Fake.”
Daniel coughed.
“Switched it.”
“Where is the real recorder?”
Daniel whispered.
“Ethan.”
Richard frowned.
“Ethan doesn’t have it.”
Daniel almost laughed.
“Check his teddy bear.”
Richard froze.
The recorder removed from evidence had been a duplicate.
Elena had apparently switched them.
Daniel grabbed Richard’s vest.
“Alexander doesn’t know.”
“Where’s Vanessa?”
Daniel’s expression changed.
“Taken.”
“Julian?”
“Taken.”
“Elena and Olivia?”
“West stairs.”
Marcus heard.
He turned.
“West stairs.”
Daniel nodded.
“Go.”
Marcus ran with two officers.
Richard stayed.
“Who was shot?”
Daniel looked at his shoulder.
“Me.”
Richard felt a wave of relief he hated himself for feeling.
“Did Vanessa get hit?”
“No.”
“Where did Alexander take her?”
Daniel pointed toward the rear of the factory.
“Tunnel.”
“Where does it lead?”
“River.”
Richard remembered the factory’s old shipping system.
Barges once carried material along the river.
There were underground loading passages.
Richard stood.
Daniel grabbed him again.
“Wait.”
Richard looked down.
Daniel’s face had become serious.
“She didn’t hide Ethan only from Alexander.”
Richard stared.
“What are you talking about?”
Daniel struggled to breathe.
“Ask her.”
“I am trying to find her.”
“No.”
Daniel tightened his hand.
“If you find her, ask before you forgive anything.”
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“I’m not discussing forgiveness.”
“Good.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Because she knew something about Ethan before you did.”
Richard’s stomach dropped.
“What?”
Daniel opened his eyes again.
“Ethan was never supposed to inherit Sterling Global.”
Richard stared.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel whispered.
“He isn’t your biological son.”
For a moment, Richard heard nothing.
Not gunfire.
Not shouting.
Not boots across concrete.
Nothing.
Daniel’s words seemed to remove sound from the world.
Richard leaned closer.
“What did you say?”
Daniel looked almost regretful.
“Alexander told her.”
Richard’s face went cold.
“You’re lying.”
“I wish.”
“Vanessa had an affair?”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
Richard’s confusion deepened.
“Then what?”
Daniel struggled.
“Fertility clinic.”
Richard remembered.
They had tried for two years.
Vanessa had undergone treatment.
Richard had provided samples.
They had used an embryo created from both.
At least that was what they had been told.
Daniel whispered.
“Alexander owned the clinic through a shell company.”
Richard’s mouth went dry.
“He changed the embryo?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then whose child is Ethan?”
Daniel looked toward him.
“I never found out.”
Richard stood slowly.
His entire body felt numb.
Then he heard Ethan’s voice in his memory.
Daddy.
He looked down at Daniel.
“I don’t care.”
Daniel blinked.
Richard repeated.
“I don’t care whose DNA is in him.”
He turned toward the tunnel.
“He is my son.”
Daniel watched him go.
The rear stairwell was dark.
Richard descended.
Ortiz caught up.
“What are you doing?”
“Alexander took Vanessa through the river tunnel.”
“How do you know?”
“Daniel.”
“Daniel needs an ambulance.”
“He’s alive?”
“Yes.”
Ortiz radioed medics.
They entered the underground corridor.
Water dripped from pipes.
The river roared somewhere ahead.
A trail of blood marked the floor.
Richard crouched.
“Vanessa?”
Ortiz examined it.
“Unknown.”
They followed.
A woman screamed ahead.
Richard ran.
The tunnel opened into an old loading chamber.
Julian lay on the floor.
His hands were tied.
His mouth was taped.
Richard rushed to him.
Ortiz cut the restraints.
Julian ripped the tape away.
“He took Vanessa.”
“Where?”
“Boat.”
Richard looked toward the river opening.
A motor echoed in the distance.
Too late.
Julian grabbed him.
“He knows.”
“Knows what?”
“The recorder was fake.”
Richard froze.
“How?”
“Vanessa told him.”
Richard stared.
“Why would she do that?”
Julian shook his head.
“She didn’t have a choice.”
“What does that mean?”
Julian looked terrified.
“He has something she cares about more than Ethan.”
Richard almost laughed.
“There is nothing she cares about more than Ethan.”
Julian’s eyes met his.
“You.”
Richard went silent.
Julian continued.
“He told her if she didn’t reveal the switch, he would have someone at Sterling Manor kill you the moment you returned.”
Richard stared.
“He still has people inside my house?”
“Yes.”
Richard immediately called Hannah.
No answer.
He called again.
Nothing.
His pulse spiked.
He called Dr. Ross.
Nothing.
Marcus’s voice came over the radio.
“We have Olivia!”
Richard barely registered it.
He called Hannah a third time.
The line connected.
No voice.
“Hannah?”
Static.
“Hannah!”
Then Ethan whispered.
“Daddy?”
Richard closed his eyes.
“Ethan.”
“Bad man here.”
Richard’s blood turned to ice.
“Where is Hannah?”
“Sleep.”
“What?”
“Hannah sleep.”
Richard looked at Ortiz.
She immediately radioed units back to the manor.
Richard kept his voice calm.
“Ethan, listen to Daddy.”
“Okay.”
“Where are you?”
“Lion room.”
“The nursery?”
“Yes.”
“Is the bad man with you?”
“No.”
“Where is he?”
“Door.”
Richard heard footsteps through the phone.
Ethan breathed quickly.
“Daddy.”
“I’m here.”
“Bad man coming.”
Richard forced himself not to shout.
“Remember the lion?”
“Yes.”
“Hide behind the big lion.”
The nursery had a narrow cabinet beside the carved figure.
Ethan could fit.
“Take your teddy bear.”
“Teddy.”
“Yes.”
“Go now.”
Richard heard movement.
Then a door opened through the phone.
A man’s voice.
“Ethan?”
Richard recognized it.
Charles Wexler.
The elderly board member.
He had never been taken to jail.
He had been released pending questioning.
And now he was inside Richard’s home.
“Come out, Ethan.”
Richard clenched his phone.
Wexler continued.
“Grandpa sent me.”
Ethan made no sound.
Richard whispered.
“Good boy.”
Wexler’s footsteps moved closer.
Richard heard drawers opening.
“Where’s your teddy bear?”
Richard’s eyes met Ortiz’s.
The teddy bear.
The real recorder.
Wexler knew.
He had come for it.
The phone shifted.
Ethan breathed.
Then Wexler said.
“There you are.”
A child screamed.
May you like
The call ended.
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