Chapter 10 - UNIT 214
Nobody went rushing into storage unit 214.
Not after Evan’s warning.
A bomb squad arrived first.
Then detectives.
Then federal agents.
Daniel remained inside the detention center with his family.
For the first time in months, nobody seemed sure whether he was an inmate, a witness, or a man caught in the middle of something much larger.
Mateo fell asleep against his side.
Daniel didn’t move.
His arm went numb.
He didn’t care.
Sofia sat across from him.
“Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“Are bad people always obvious?”
Daniel looked at her.
“No.”
“That sucks.”
Elena almost smiled.
Daniel nodded.
“Yeah. It does.”
Sofia picked at a loose thread on her sleeve.
“Mr. Wallace came to our school once.”
Daniel’s body stiffened.
“What?”
Elena looked up.
“When?”
“Like two weeks ago.”
“Sofia, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I thought you knew.”
Daniel felt his heartbeat climb.
“What did he do?”
“He was in the parking lot.”
“Did he talk to you?”
“No.”
“Did he talk to Mateo?”
“No.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
Daniel stood.
Elena grabbed his wrist.
“Daniel.”
“He was watching my kids.”
“We don’t know that.”
“Yes, we do.”
His anger returned with frightening speed.
For three months, he had blamed himself.
Maybe he should have remembered something differently.
Maybe he had signed the truck out.
Maybe he had somehow caused all of this.
Now he understood.
A wealthy man had decided Daniel Reyes was disposable.
A working guy.
No money for elite attorneys.
No political friends.
No power.
The perfect person to bury.
Officer Collins entered the room.
Daniel looked at her.
“What happened?”
“They opened the unit.”
“And?”
“No bomb.”
Daniel exhaled.
“Evan lied?”
“No.”
Collins sat down.
“The red toolbox had wiring, a detonator housing, and explosive residue.”
Elena covered Mateo’s sleeping ear.
Daniel frowned.
“So where’s the explosive?”
“Gone.”
A chill moved through him.
“Someone got there first.”
Collins nodded.
“When?”
“Security footage shows a vehicle arriving at 7:03 this morning.”
Daniel checked the clock.
His birthday surprise had started less than an hour later.
“Who?”
“The plate was covered.”
“Driver?”
“Hooded.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
Collins continued.
“But they found the flash drive.”
Daniel stared at her.
“They did?”
“Yes.”
“So it’s over.”
She didn’t answer.
“Collins.”
“The files were deleted.”
His stomach dropped.
“All of them?”
“Almost.”
“Almost?”
“One video survived.”
Daniel sat slowly.
“What video?”
Collins looked toward Sofia and Mateo.
“Not here.”
Elena woke Mateo gently and took both children to get water.
When the door closed, Collins lowered her voice.
“The surviving clip isn’t the murder.”
Daniel clenched his jaw.
“Then what is it?”
“It was recorded four days before your arrest.”
She pulled out her phone.
“I’m not supposed to show you this.”
“Show me.”
She played the clip.
Grainy image.
A warehouse office.
Richard Wallace stood beside a desk.
Baker stood near the door.
A third man entered.
Daniel leaned closer.
His breathing stopped.
“No.”
Collins paused the video.
“You know him?”
Daniel stared at the face.
Detective Pike.
Daniel felt the room tilt.
“Yeah.”
Collins whispered, “So do I.”
Daniel looked at her.
“The detective who’s supposed to clear my name was meeting with them before I was arrested.”
Then someone knocked on the door.
Three slow knocks.
May you like
Detective Pike stepped inside.
And he was carrying Daniel’s release papers.
