Chapter 8 - THE GARAGE
Alexander moved first.
David grabbed his arm.
“Don’t.”
“That man is in my house.”
“We don’t know that.”
A loud crash came from the garage.
Now they knew.
Alexander told Sofia, “Stay with Rosa.”
She nodded.
He, David, and Marcus moved toward the service hallway.
Veronica followed.
Alexander turned.
“Stay here.”
“That’s my garage too.”
“Not tonight.”
Another crash.
David quietly dialed emergency services.
Alexander pushed open the door.
Vincent stood beside a black sedan.
A metal cabinet had been pulled open.
Papers lay everywhere.
He was stuffing something into a backpack.
“Put it down,” Alexander said.
Vincent spun.
His face hardened.
“Alexander.”
“You seem surprised.”
Vincent glanced toward another exit.
David stepped into view.
“Police are on the way.”
Vincent laughed.
“For what?”
Alexander looked at the backpack.
“Let’s start with burglary.”
“I have a key.”
Alexander looked at Veronica.
She had appeared in the doorway.
Of course.
“You gave him a key?”
Veronica didn’t answer.
Vincent zipped the bag.
Alexander blocked the exit.
“What’s inside?”
“None of your business.”
“In my garage?”
Vincent moved closer.
“You really want to do this?”
Alexander didn’t move.
“Yes.”
For a moment, it looked like Vincent might swing at him.
Instead, he shoved the backpack toward Veronica.
“Take it.”
She caught it.
David said, “Do not remove that bag.”
Veronica dropped it instantly.
Vincent cursed.
Sirens sounded in the distance.
He stared at her.
“You called the cops?”
“No!”
Vincent’s expression became ugly.
“You said he wouldn’t find out.”
Alexander heard every word.
“You seem to have been wrong about a lot of things tonight.”
Vincent ran for the side door.
Alexander stepped aside rather than tackle him.
Police met Vincent outside.
He got less than thirty feet.
Minutes later, two officers brought him back in handcuffs.
Sofia watched from the living room doorway.
Alexander immediately moved to block her view.
“You don’t need to see this.”
“Yes, I do.”
He looked at her.
She wasn’t smiling.
She wasn’t enjoying it.
She simply needed to see that adults who hurt people could be stopped.
Alexander understood.
So he stood beside her.
An officer opened Vincent’s backpack.
Inside were financial records.
Copies of Alexander’s passport.
Two blank company checks.
A folder labeled S. VALE TRUST.
And a small velvet jewelry box.
Alexander recognized it.
Elena’s.
He opened it.
Her wedding ring was gone.
Sofia stared.
“That was Mom’s.”
Veronica looked at Vincent.
“What did you do?”
He laughed once.
“Don’t start pretending now.”
Alexander looked between them.
“Where’s the ring?”
Vincent shrugged.
“Sold.”
Sofia’s face crumpled.
Alexander felt anger rise so violently he had to step away.
David spoke quietly.
“Let the police handle him.”
One officer asked Veronica to sit down.
Vincent turned toward her.
“You better tell them the truth.”
She stared.
“The truth about what?”
“You think I’m taking the fall alone?”
Veronica’s face went blank.
Vincent smiled.
Then he looked directly at Alexander.
“You think this was about the kid’s trust fund?”
Alexander said nothing.
Vincent shook his head.
“That was pocket change.”
David’s eyes narrowed.
“What are you talking about?”
Vincent leaned back against the police car.
“Ask your wife what happened to Elena’s life insurance.”
Sofia gripped Alexander’s hand.
May you like
Alexander stopped breathing.
Because Elena’s life insurance had been worth three million dollars.
