Chapter 11 - THE EXCHANGE
Sarah took control immediately.
“Keep him talking.”
Elizabeth’s hands shook.
“David, please.”
“No police.”
“I understand.”
“You come alone.”
“Where’s Mia?”
A muffled scream came through the phone.
“Mom!”
Elizabeth nearly collapsed.
“I’m here!”
David laughed.
“She’s alive. For now.”
“What do you want?”
“The original drive.”
“I have it.”
“No copies.”
“Okay.”
“Old boathouse. Forty minutes.”
The call ended.
Sarah was already issuing orders.
Elizabeth looked at her.
“I’m going.”
“No.”
“He’ll kill her.”
“We’ll get your daughter.”
“He said alone.”
Sarah stepped closer.
“People like David say that because they want control.”
Andrew looked toward the evidence bag.
“We can give him a duplicate.”
Sarah shook her head.
“He may check.”
Alex stood in the doorway.
Nobody had noticed him.
“Give him the real one.”
Andrew turned.
“Buddy—”
“He wants it.”
Sarah crouched.
“Alex, we can’t let him keep evidence.”
Alex looked at the detective.
“But if he thinks he won, he’ll stop looking.”
Sarah studied him.
Andrew realized his six-year-old son had spent half a year watching dangerous adults.
Learning when to stay quiet.
Learning how they lied.
Sarah stood.
“We give him the real drive.”
Elizabeth stared.
“And then?”
“We take it back.”
The boathouse stood at the edge of black water.
Rain had slowed to a cold mist.
Elizabeth walked inside alone.
A wire was taped beneath her shirt.
Police watched from the trees.
Andrew stayed in an unmarked vehicle with Sarah.
“You should not be here,” she whispered.
“I know.”
Inside, David held Mia by the arm.
A gun pressed against her side.
Mia looked terrified.
“Mom.”
Elizabeth held up the drive.
“Let her go.”
David smiled.
“Throw it.”
“No.”
His smile disappeared.
“I said throw it.”
“You release Mia first.”
“You don’t negotiate.”
Elizabeth’s eyes hardened.
“You murdered my friend. You threatened my child. I’m done being afraid of you.”
David stepped forward.
“You were always too loyal to Caroline.”
“She was kind to me.”
“She was weak.”
Elizabeth shook her head.
“No. She was brave enough to find out what you were.”
David’s jaw tightened.
Behind the wall, Sarah whispered into her radio.
“Hold.”
David grabbed the drive.
“Now move.”
Elizabeth pulled Mia toward her.
For one second, it seemed to work.
Then David smiled.
“You think I’m stupid?”
He snapped the drive in half.
Elizabeth stared.
David raised the gun.
“You brought the police.”
Sarah shouted, “Move!”
Shots exploded.
Elizabeth threw Mia to the floor.
Police rushed the doors.
David fired through the wall and ran toward the dock.
Andrew saw him.
Without thinking, he jumped from the vehicle.
“Andrew!”
David sprinted toward a waiting boat.
Then another figure stepped out of the darkness.
Lucinda.
Holding a gun.
She pointed it at David.
“Stop.”
David laughed.
“You don’t have the nerve.”
Lucinda cocked the weapon.
May you like
“I already killed one person.”
And this time, her hand didn’t shake.
