Chapter 9 - THE BLUE DOOR
The taxi crashed through a wooden barrier.
It bounced down the loading ramp and entered the industrial district.
The black SUVs could not follow through the narrow entrance.
The driver stopped behind a stack of shipping containers.
Elena climbed out.
“Stay here with Milo.”
The driver stared at her.
“You are going into that warehouse alone?”
“No.”
Alexander stepped beside her.
“She is not alone.”
Noah removed the memory card from his pocket.
“They want this.”
Alexander looked at the blue ledger.
“And this.”
Milo grabbed Elena’s sleeve.
“There is a side entrance near the river.”
“The lock is broken.”
Elena touched his cheek.
“You have already done enough.”
Milo shook his head.
“Valentina helped me escape.”
“I’m helping her.”
They moved along the side of the warehouse.
The blue main door stood beneath a broken light.
Two armed men waited outside.
Noah led Milo toward the river entrance.
Alexander and Elena approached the guards openly.
“I have what Vincent wants,” Alexander called.
The guards searched them.
They found the ledger.
One guard smiled.
“This will make Mrs. De Los Santos very happy.”
They were led inside.
Rows of wooden crates filled the warehouse.
Jewelry-store labels covered the boxes.
Several children sat behind a chain-link enclosure.
Valentina was tied to a chair near the center of the room.
Elena’s heart broke at the sight of her.
“Mom!”
Elena tried to run toward her.
A guard blocked the way.
Vincent emerged from behind a stack of crates.
His face was bruised from the boutique fight.
“You caused a great deal of trouble.”
Elena stared at him.
“You kidnapped my child.”
Vincent shrugged.
“She is alive.”
“That is more mercy than her father received.”
Valentina’s eyes widened.
Elena stepped closer.
“You killed Daniel?”
Vincent smiled.
“I cut the brakes.”
“But Cross gave the order.”
Alexander clenched his fists.
Vincent raised a weapon.
“Do not be heroic.”
“You already failed Daniel once.”
Alexander stopped.
Vincent took the ledger.
“Where is the memory card?”
Elena looked toward Valentina.
“She swallowed it.”
Vincent laughed.
“That is what she told me.”
He walked toward the girl.
“But children lie when they are afraid.”
Valentina lifted her chin.
“I learned from Mrs. De Los Santos.”
Vincent slapped the back of her chair.
Elena lunged forward.
The guard restrained her.
“Touch her again and I will kill you,” Elena said.
Vincent smiled.
“You are in no position to threaten anyone.”
A sound came from above.
Metal creaked along the warehouse rafters.
Noah had entered through the side door.
He moved above them on a narrow maintenance walkway.
Milo crawled toward the child enclosure.
Vincent opened the ledger.
His smile vanished.
The pages were blank.
Alexander had switched the real ledger with a display book from the store.
Vincent looked up.
“Where is the real one?”
Alexander smiled.
“Already delivered.”
The warehouse doors burst open.
Mrs. De Los Santos entered with Captain Cross and four armed men.
She looked at Vincent.
“You failed again.”
May you like
Vincent aimed his gun at Valentina.
“Then I will give you one last reason to keep me alive.”
