Chapter 13 - The Midnight Deal
Vanessa had been released to meet her attorney while investigators sought warrants on the older crimes.
By eleven, she was supposed to be at a hotel under instructions not to leave town.
Instead, she was in Michael’s car.
Ruiz’s voice stayed level as she spoke to dispatch.
I wanted to borrow that steadiness.
Michael called again at 11:38.
“I’m at the terminal.”
“Stay in the car,” Ruiz told him through my phone.
“He can see me.”
“Lock the doors.”
A car horn sounded.
Michael cursed.
Then the line went dead.
Luca looked at Ruiz.
“We go now.”
“We’re already moving.”
The police brought us in through a rear access road.
I stayed in a command vehicle with an officer.
Luca transferred into his own car’s passenger seat, then back into his chair near the loading bay, exactly where Ruiz’s team instructed him.
He wore a concealed microphone.
His hands were empty.
The hard drive remained in police custody.
At midnight, Frank appeared behind Michael.
A gun rested low against Michael’s ribs.
Vanessa walked a few feet away from them.
She was crying.
Even through the camera feed, I could see how carefully she avoided the puddles.
“Where’s Hannah?” Frank called.
“She’s getting treatment,” Luca said.
“Then you came short.”
“You shot at her mother.”
“I missed.”
Luca didn’t answer.
Frank pushed Michael forward.
“Drive.”
“Give me Michael.”
“Drive first.”
Vanessa stepped closer to Luca.
“Please, just do what he says.”
He looked at her.
“You told the police where his phone was.”
Frank’s head turned.
Vanessa stopped crying.
“I told them nothing.”
“They found it,” Luca said.
For a moment, the only sound was wind rattling a loose sheet of metal.
Then Frank grabbed Vanessa by the arm.
“You stupid—”
She jerked away.
“You were supposed to destroy it.”
Ruiz lifted her hand inside the command vehicle.
“Wait.”
Frank stared at Vanessa.
Luca kept his voice quiet.
“What else was he supposed to destroy?”
Vanessa looked toward the dark warehouse doors.
Then at the road.
“Your brother should have minded his own business.”
My breath caught.
Ruiz reached for her radio.
Before she could speak, Michael drove his elbow backward.
Frank’s gun went off.
May you like
The camera tilted.
And Luca disappeared beneath the loading platform.
