Chapter 9 - SILVER BASIN
I did not go alone.
Walter believed I would.
That was his mistake.
Silver Basin had been abandoned since the late nineties.
Rusting conveyors.
Broken loading docks.
Empty warehouses.
Miles of desert around it.
My father had used part of the property for storage through one of his shell companies.
Agent Ortiz had tactical teams approaching from the north.
State police came from the south.
I rode in an unmarked vehicle with Bell.
Noah stayed under armed guard at the hospital.
Leaving him felt like tearing off skin.
But bringing him would have been worse.
My father texted directions.
Warehouse Three.
Come alone.
Bring drive.
Bell stopped half a mile away.
“You follow the plan.”
“I know.”
“If anything changes—”
“I know.”
He handed me a small transmitter.
I walked the rest.
Wind pushed dust across the yard.
The warehouse door stood open.
“Dad?”
My voice echoed.
Walter stepped from behind a forklift.
Gun in hand.
Of course.
“You never follow instructions.”
“I came alone.”
He looked around.
“You’re a terrible liar.”
“I learned from you.”
His jaw tightened.
“Drive.”
I held up an identical black USB.
A decoy.
“Where’s Emily?”
He pointed.
Ray’s daughter sat tied to a chair.
Robert Haines was beside her.
Alive.
Face swollen.
One eye nearly closed.
My mother sat on the floor twenty feet away.
Her wrists were tied.
Diane looked at me.
“Claire.”
I felt nothing.
That scared me.
Walter held out his hand.
“Give it to me.”
“Release Emily.”
“No.”
“Then you don’t get it.”
He smiled.
“This Army version of you is exhausting.”
“This version of me is the reason your plan failed.”
His smile disappeared.
“You think you’re smarter than me?”
“No.”
I looked around.
“I just think you got lazy.”
Dad raised the gun.
“Careful.”
Robert suddenly spoke.
“Walter.”
His voice was weak.
“They already know.”
Dad turned.
Robert laughed.
“All those years, and you still don’t understand digital records.”
“Shut up.”
“The government has copies.”
Walter fired.
The bullet hit the concrete beside Robert.
Emily screamed.
Police moved outside.
Too early.
Walter heard them.
He grabbed Diane by the hair and pulled her upright.
She cried out.
“Walter!”
He pressed the gun against her neck.
“Everyone stays back!”
I saw movement through a broken window.
Agents.
Dad dragged Mom toward a side door.
“Claire!”
Mom looked at me.
For the first time that night, she actually looked afraid.
Then she shouted something I never expected.
“The blue ledger!”
Walter froze.
I stared at her.
“What?”
Diane screamed, “It’s under the floor in the cabin!”
Walter struck her.
“Shut up!”
Agents rushed in.
Walter fired toward the ceiling and disappeared through the side door with Mom.
I ran after them.
Bell shouted my name.
Outside, an engine roared.
Dad shoved Diane into a pickup.
The truck tore across the dirt.
Police vehicles followed.
Agent Ortiz reached me.
“What blue ledger?”
“I don’t know.”
Robert staggered from the warehouse.
He looked at me.
“I do.”
I turned.
His face was gray.
“The ledger contains every payoff your father ever made.”
Ortiz stepped closer.
“To who?”
Robert gave a broken laugh.
“Cops. Contractors. Politicians. Customs people.”
Then he looked straight at me.
“And one senior Army officer.”
My stomach dropped.
“Who?”
May you like
Robert whispered the name.
“Colonel James Avery.”
