Chapter 6 - THE POLICE CAPTAIN’S ORDER
Two officers moved toward Elena.
Valentina wrapped both arms around her mother.
“No!”
“You cannot take her!”
Elena held her tightly.
“Do not fight them.”
“I’m not leaving you,” Valentina sobbed.
Captain Cross pointed toward Noah.
“Take his equipment too.”
Noah slid the memory card into his shirt pocket.
Alexander noticed.
He stepped in front of Cross.
“This building belongs to me.”
“You do not have permission to seize private systems without a warrant.”
Cross leaned closer.
“You have no idea how quickly ownership can change.”
Alexander’s eyes narrowed.
“You helped kill Daniel.”
The room went still.
Cross smiled.
“That is a serious accusation.”
“It is also on video.”
For the first time, Cross looked concerned.
He turned toward Noah.
“Where is the recording?”
Noah said nothing.
Cross grabbed his jacket.
“Answer me.”
A customer near the entrance raised her phone.
“You are being recorded.”
Cross turned sharply.
Nearly every customer was filming.
He could control the security cameras.
He could not control thirty personal phones.
Mrs. De Los Santos stepped forward.
“These people are trespassing on a private investigation.”
A man in a navy suit laughed.
“You accused a child of theft.”
“Now a police captain is trying to arrest her mother.”
“Nobody is turning off their phone.”
Cross’s jaw tightened.
He whispered something to one of his officers.
The officer moved toward the circuit breaker.
The boutique lights went out.
Screams filled the darkness.
Elena felt someone tear Valentina from her arms.
“Mom!”
“Valentina!”
Elena reached into the darkness.
A hand struck the back of her head.
She fell against the floor.
When the emergency lights came on, Valentina was gone.
The rear employee door stood open.
Elena scrambled to her feet.
“Where is my daughter?”
Cross looked around with false confusion.
“She was here a moment ago.”
“You took her!”
Elena rushed at him.
Two officers restrained her.
Alexander grabbed the blue ledger from Noah.
“Let her go.”
Cross aimed his weapon at Alexander.
“Put the book down.”
Alexander held it over a decorative flame display near the wall.
“One step closer and I burn it.”
Mrs. De Los Santos’s face changed.
“No!”
Alexander looked at her.
“So the ledger matters.”
Elena stared toward the open rear door.
A small object lay near the threshold.
Valentina’s friendship bracelet.
Elena’s voice dropped to a whisper.
“She left this for me.”
Noah picked it up.
Attached to the bracelet was a tiny folded piece of paper.
Valentina had written three words in pencil.
WHITE CAR. BASEMENT. VINCENT.
Everyone turned toward the floor where Vincent had been lying.
He was gone.
Mrs. De Los Santos looked toward Cross.
Cross looked toward the rear exit.
Elena understood.
May you like
Vincent had taken Valentina.
And the corrupt captain had just given him time to escape.
