Chapter 10 - THE BOAT
Officers approached the warehouse from both sides while harbor patrol covered the water. Victoria waited behind a concrete barrier with Ortiz.
A side door opened. Daniel emerged holding Caroline by the arm.
Caroline stumbled but stayed on her feet. When she saw Victoria, something broke open in her expression.
“Tory.”
Daniel tightened his grip. “Stay where you are.”
Ortiz stepped forward. “Daniel, let her come to us.”
“I know what she’s carrying,” he said. “She’ll tell you I threatened her. You’ll believe every word.”
“We have the recording,” Ortiz said.
Daniel blinked. For the first time, he looked uncertain.
Victoria understood then that he still thought Caroline had hidden the files with Peter. He had no idea Emma had carried the evidence out of the hotel.
“Let Caroline go,” Victoria said. “It’s over.”
Daniel glanced toward the boat. An officer stepped into view at the end of the pier. Another stood at the warehouse door.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Caroline pulled her arm free and ran toward Victoria. Daniel lunged after her, slipped on the wet boards, and hit the ground. Officers reached him before he could get up.
Victoria caught Caroline at the barrier.
She had imagined this reunion a thousand times. In every version, she knew what to say.
Now all she could manage was, “You’re here.”
Caroline held on to her. “Where’s Emma?”
“She’s safe.”
Caroline pulled back. “Daniel called someone from the boat. He told them Emma was still at the hotel.”
Ortiz immediately radioed the officers there.
No answer came.
May you like
She tried again. A woman finally responded, her voice strained.
“Detective, one of our officers is down. Emma’s gone.”
