Chapter 13 - THE DEAD WOMAN WHO CALLED
The body was burned beyond recognition.
Police found a purse near the front door.
Victoria’s ID was inside.
Alexander stood behind the crime scene tape.
“This makes no sense.”
Marcus stared at the burned house.
“It makes perfect sense if someone wants us to believe she’s dead.”
Alexander turned.
“You don’t think it’s her?”
“I think Victoria is a lot of things.”
Marcus looked toward the firefighters.
“Easy to kill isn’t one of them.”
Alexander’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?”
A woman whispered,
“Don’t say my name.”
Alexander looked at Marcus.
Victoria.
He switched to speaker.
“Where are you?”
“Not safe.”
“You’re supposed to be dead.”
“I know.”
Marcus leaned closer.
“Who’s in the house?”
“I don’t know.”
Alexander’s voice hardened.
“You left someone to burn?”
“No.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I came to get the box.”
Evelyn had told Victoria about it.
Alexander’s anger rose.
“How did you know?”
“Richard told me.”
“Did you find it?”
“No.”
“Then who burned the house?”
“I saw a man in the kitchen.”
“What man?”
“Older. Gray hair. Limp.”
Marcus frowned.
“Name?”
“I never saw him before.”
Alexander looked at the flames.
“What happened?”
“He attacked me. I ran through the back.”
“And the body?”
“I swear I don’t know.”
A loud noise came through the phone.
Victoria gasped.
“Someone’s here.”
“Victoria?”
The call ended.
Alexander immediately called back.
Nothing.
Marcus took out his phone.
“I can trace the last connection.”
“Do it.”
Ten minutes later they were driving into an industrial district.
The signal led to an abandoned storage facility.
Marcus checked his weapon.
Alexander gave him a look.
“What?”
“I know. Stay behind you.”
“Good.”
Inside, they found Victoria hiding in a storage unit.
She looked terrible.
Hair tangled.
Face bruised.
Designer dress replaced by sweatpants and a stolen hoodie.
She nearly screamed when Marcus opened the door.
Alexander stepped in.
“You’re alive.”
Victoria laughed.
“Disappointed?”
He didn’t answer.
She looked at him.
“I didn’t mean to hurt her that badly.”
Alexander’s expression went cold.
“You pushed my mother down a staircase.”
“I know.”
“You don’t get forgiveness because somebody tried to kill you.”
“I’m not asking.”
“Then what do you want?”
“To stay alive.”
Marcus leaned against the doorway.
“Give us something useful.”
Victoria pulled a small envelope from her pocket.
“I got this from Richard’s office.”
Alexander took it.
Inside was a photograph.
Daniel Reed.
Young.
Smiling.
Standing beside Samuel Price.
And another man.
Gray hair.
Even in the old photograph, the man had a slight bend in one leg.
Alexander stared.
“The man from the house?”
Victoria nodded.
Marcus turned the photograph over.
A name was written on the back.
THOMAS VALE.
Marcus’s face changed.
Alexander noticed.
“Vale?”
Victoria looked at Marcus.
“Do you know him?”
Marcus didn’t answer.
Alexander stepped closer.
“Jonah Vale.”
Marcus looked up.
“Thomas is Jonah’s father.”
The storage unit went silent.
Victoria whispered,
“Then Jonah lied.”
A gun clicked behind them.
Jonah’s voice came from the hallway.
“No.”
He stepped into view.
“I left out one part.”
Marcus raised his weapon.
Jonah raised his.
Alexander stood between them.
“What part?”
May you like
Jonah’s jaw tightened.
“My father is the man who shot yours.”
