Chapter 14 - NO MORE HIDING
Emergency lighting turned the hallway red.
Cole moved immediately.
“Emily, behind me.”
Carol locked the interior door.
Cole called 911.
He did not go outside.
He did not chase Victor.
He did not give Victor the confrontation he wanted.
Instead, Cole did what deployment had taught him better than anything else.
Protect the people beside you first.
A sound came from the rear entrance.
Glass breaking.
Carol gasped.
Cole moved Emily into the bathroom.
“Lock this.”
“Cole.”
“I'm staying on the other side.”
She grabbed his hand.
“Don't leave me.”
“I won't.”
Cole looked directly into her eyes.
“Not tonight.”
The outer door opened.
Footsteps.
Then Victor's voice.
“Staff Sergeant.”
Cole remained behind cover.
“Police are coming.”
Victor laughed.
“They were coming yesterday too.”
Cole heard him moving.
“Where's Emily?”
Cole said nothing.
Victor continued.
“Do you know what your wife is worth?”
Cole's expression hardened.
“She isn't worth anything.”
Silence.
Then Cole added.
“Because she's not something you can own.”
Victor appeared at the end of the hallway.
Cole saw something in his hand.
He didn't move toward him.
“Put it down.”
Victor smiled.
“You giving orders again?”
“No.”
Cole heard sirens outside.
“I'm giving you your last easy option.”
Victor glanced toward the window.
His confidence flickered.
Then another voice came from behind him.
“Victor.”
Richard.
Cole stared.
Richard stood in the broken doorway.
His wrist was wrapped.
His face bruised.
“How did you get here?”
Cole demanded.
Richard ignored him.
Victor turned.
“You.”
Richard looked at him.
“This ends tonight.”
Victor laughed.
“You started it.”
Richard nodded.
“Yes.”
The answer surprised everyone.
“I started all of it.”
Richard stepped forward.
“I lied to Carol.”
“I stole Emily.”
“I let Diane raise a child another woman thought was dead.”
“I let Patricia bury the evidence.”
“I signed your papers.”
Emily had opened the bathroom door slightly.
She heard every word.
Richard continued.
“And every time I had a chance to tell the truth, I chose myself.”
Victor's smile disappeared.
Richard looked toward the bathroom.
“But not again.”
Victor suddenly moved.
Cole shouted.
“Richard!”
Everything happened in seconds.
Richard knocked Victor's arm aside.
Cole rushed forward.
Ruiz and two officers entered through the front.
Victor was forced to the floor.
The object in his hand slid across the hallway.
Officers secured him.
No dramatic final speech.
No escape.
No victory for the man who had spent years believing everyone around him was simply another piece on a board.
Victor Shaw was handcuffed.
Richard sat against the wall.
Emily slowly walked toward him.
Richard looked up at his daughter.
“I’m sorry.”
Emily cried silently.
Richard reached toward her.
Then stopped.
For perhaps the first time in her life, he waited for permission.
Emily looked at his hand.
She didn't take it.
Not yet.
May you like
But she sat beside him.
And for that night, it was enough.
