Chapter 12 - The Price of Saving Him
I hated my father.
That did not mean I wanted him dead.
Caleb understood that difference.
He gave us six hours.
The original ledger for Dad’s life.
Federal agents insisted we could not make the exchange.
Maya agreed.
Daniel did not.
“We can copy the ledger.”
“They’ll verify the paper.”
“Then give them something else.”
Charles looked at his son.
“Caleb is desperate.”
“That makes him dangerous.”
I stared at the photograph.
Dad looked terrified.
For the first time in my life, he appeared small.
Mom sat in the corner.
“We have to save him.”
I looked at her.
“Would he save me?”
She started crying.
I immediately regretted asking.
Not because the answer was uncertain.
Because it wasn’t.
Emma began fussing in Margaret’s arms.
I took her.
Her tiny fingers wrapped around mine.
That decided it.
“I won’t become Dad.”
Everyone looked at me.
“He chose money every time.”
“I’m not going to choose revenge.”
Maya exhaled.
“So we cooperate with law enforcement.”
A controlled exchange was arranged.
The ledger would be placed inside a locker at a Manhattan train station.
Caleb’s people would release Dad remotely after confirmation.
Daniel was forbidden from going near the station.
So was I.
We watched from a federal command van.
At exactly 9:12 p.m., a man wearing a baseball cap approached the locker.
Agents followed him.
He removed the bag.
Then everything happened at once.
The man ran.
Agents tackled him.
Inside the bag he carried was a burner phone.
It rang.
Maya answered.
Caleb’s voice came through.
“You always were clever.”
“Where is Robert?”
Caleb laughed.
“Ask Grace.”
My phone buzzed.
A live video appeared.
Dad was tied to a chair.
Behind him stood Aaron Sloan.
Aaron held a gun.
Then Dad began shouting.
“Grace, don’t give him anything.”
Everyone stared at the screen.
Dad looked directly into the camera.
“I’m sorry.”
The words hurt more than I expected.
“I should have chosen you.”
Aaron struck him across the face.
The video cut.
Daniel grabbed my hand.
Then Maya’s laptop sounded an alert.
Federal agents had traced the signal.
Not to Singapore.
Not overseas.
The transmission came from less than twelve miles away.
May you like
Caleb had never fled the country.
He had been in New York the entire time.
