Chapter 11 - THE BOY WHO WALKED BACK IN
“Ryan!”
Claire’s scream tore through the police van.
Ms. Howard spun around.
The armored vehicle’s rear door stood open.
Ryan had slipped out while everyone watched the warehouse feed.
Inside the warehouse, Travis smiled.
“There’s my boy.”
Ryan stood soaked in the doorway.
His entire body shook.
“Let her go.”
Travis laughed.
“You came for me.”
“No.”
Ryan looked at Lily.
“I came for her.”
Travis’s expression changed.
“After what she stole from you?”
“She didn’t steal anything.”
Daniel stared at Ryan.
“Ryan, get out.”
“No.”
“Listen to me.”
“For once, you listen to me.”
Daniel fell silent.
Ryan looked at Travis.
“Mom told me the truth.”
Travis tightened his arm around Lily.
“Your mother was confused.”
“She said Dad didn’t know.”
“He knew enough.”
“No, he didn’t!”
Ryan’s voice cracked.
“You lied to me!”
Travis stared at him.
“I took care of you.”
“You made me hate him.”
“He deserved it.”
“You gave me the brick.”
Daniel’s face twisted with rage.
Travis glanced toward him.
“That was supposed to scare her.”
“You told me to make him hurt!”
Ryan was sobbing now.
“I thought if I hurt Lily, he’d know how I felt.”
Lily looked at Ryan.
Her face was streaked with tears.
“You hurt me.”
Ryan’s shoulders dropped.
“I know.”
“You’re mean.”
“I know.”
“I was scared.”
Ryan wiped his face.
“I know.”
Travis shook Lily.
“Enough.”
Ryan stepped forward.
“Let her go and take me.”
Daniel immediately shouted, “No!”
Travis smiled.
“See? Now he cares.”
Ryan looked at Daniel.
Daniel’s eyes filled with tears.
“I’m sorry.”
Ryan froze.
Daniel continued.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
“You didn’t know.”
“I should’ve known.”
“How?”
“I don’t know.”
Ryan started crying harder.
Daniel took one careful step.
“But none of this is your job to fix. You’re a kid.”
Travis lifted the gun.
“Stop talking.”
Daniel stopped.
Ryan looked at Lily again.
Then at Travis.
“You said Mom died because of Dad.”
“She did.”
“No.”
Ryan pulled something from his pocket.
A phone.
Claire recognized it.
Ms. Howard’s.
“Detective Ramirez showed me the video.”
Travis’s face changed.
“What video?”
“Mom’s.”
Travis went pale.
Ryan’s voice shook.
“She was scared of you.”
For the first time, Travis looked genuinely afraid.
Ryan continued.
“You followed her car.”
Travis’s eyes darted toward the doorway.
Police were closing in.
He knew it.
“Ryan,” Travis said softly, “come here.”
“No.”
“I’m family.”
“So is she.”
Ryan pointed at Lily.
Travis’s face twisted.
Then everything happened at once.
He shoved Lily sideways.
Raised the gun toward Ryan.
Daniel charged.
A gunshot cracked through the warehouse.
Claire screamed.
Someone fell.
May you like
And for one horrible second—
she couldn’t tell who.
