Chapter 10 - THE WAREHOUSE
The Cross Foundation warehouse stood beside the Los Angeles River.
Its public purpose was storing furniture for families leaving homeless shelters.
At midnight, the building appeared abandoned.
Elena approached the side entrance carrying the Rolex inside a small evidence pouch.
The watch was not real.
Federal investigators had created an exact replica.
A tracker was hidden inside the clasp.
Elena had not escaped without help.
Sophie had alerted Marcus before Elena reached the end of the service tunnel.
Marcus stopped her beyond the wall.
Instead of forcing her back, he listened.
Elena knew Damien would detect police vehicles.
She also knew he expected Adrian to ignore instructions.
The only person Damien underestimated was her.
Rebecca Sloan approved a controlled exchange.
Adrian opposed it until Elena reminded him that Rosa’s life was not his decision to risk.
Now Adrian waited inside an unmarked command vehicle four blocks away.
Every instinct told him to enter the warehouse.
Rebecca refused.
“This is my operation.”
“That is my employee inside.”
“She volunteered.”
“She is not trained.”
“She has survived two years around your wife.”
Rebecca looked at him.
“Do not underestimate what poor people learn when wealthy people believe they are invisible.”
Inside the warehouse, Elena followed a row of dim lights.
Furniture towered on both sides.
Cribs.
Mattresses.
Kitchen tables.
Donations that had never reached the families pictured in the foundation’s advertisements.
Damien stood near the center of the building.
A silver brace covered two fingers on his right hand.
Rosa sat in a chair beside him.
Her hands were tied in front of her.
Julian stood near the loading door.
His expensive suit was wrinkled.
His eyes were bloodshot.
“You came,” Damien said.
Elena held up the pouch.
“Let her go.”
Damien smiled.
“You still think this is an exchange.”
He extended his hand.
Elena did not move.
“Rosa first.”
Julian stepped forward.
“Give him the watch.”
Elena looked at Adrian’s brother.
“You helped them frighten your niece.”
Julian flinched.
“No one was supposed to hurt Sophie.”
“You helped them steal from her.”
“I was taking what should have been mine.”
Damien’s expression hardened.
“Enough.”
He grabbed Rosa by the shoulder.
Elena tossed the pouch onto the floor between them.
Damien released Rosa and picked it up.
The tracker activated.
Federal agents moved toward the building.
Damien examined the watch.
His smile vanished.
“This is not Arthur’s Rolex.”
Julian turned toward Elena.
“What did you do?”
Metal shutters slammed over the warehouse exits.
The lights went out.
Damien had triggered an electronic lockdown.
Elena heard Rosa gasp.
Then came the sound of running footsteps.
Emergency lights flashed red.
Damien had disappeared.
Julian stood frozen beside the loading door.
Rosa ran toward Elena.
A mechanical hum rose from the ceiling.
Dozens of cameras turned toward them.
A screen illuminated on the far wall.
Celeste appeared live from an unknown location.
Her expression was no longer soft.
“You should have accepted the life I gave you,” she told Elena.
The cameras scanned Elena’s face.
A digital voice announced that facial capture was complete.
May you like
Celeste smiled.
“Now I can make you confess to anything.”
