Chapter 11 - THE TRADE
Lucy wanted to go alone.
Martin refused.
Scarlett refused louder.
Federal agents refused professionally.
Lucy yelled at all of them.
“If Charles thinks we involved police, he kills her!”
Martin slammed the table.
“And if you go alone, he kills you!”
“She’s my best friend!”
“And you’re my daughter!”
Lucy stopped.
Martin’s voice cracked.
“I already lost Rebecca.”
His eyes filled.
“I will not watch Charles take you too.”
Lucy stared at him.
Something inside her softened.
Not forgiveness.
Not yet.
But something.
Federal agents traced the video.
An abandoned Hale Industrial warehouse near the river.
Charles had intentionally made it easy.
“He wants us there,” an agent said.
Martin nodded.
“Then we go.”
Scarlett grabbed a jacket.
Martin looked at her.
“No.”
She stared back.
“Try stopping me.”
Martin almost argued.
Then gave up.
Lucy looked at Scarlett.
“You’re insane.”
Scarlett smiled faintly.
“Runs in the family.”
They went in with hidden tracking devices.
The flash drive Lucy carried was a copy.
The real evidence sat in federal custody.
Inside the warehouse, Maya was tied to a chair.
Victor sat nearby.
Charles stood between them.
Three armed men surrounded him.
Lucy stepped forward.
“Let Maya go.”
Charles smiled.
“Rebecca made the same mistake.”
“What?”
“Always negotiating emotionally.”
Lucy held up the drive.
“You want this?”
“Yes.”
“Release Maya.”
Charles nodded at a guard.
He untied Maya.
Maya ran toward Lucy.
A gunshot exploded.
Martin tackled Lucy.
The bullet hit a steel beam.
Scarlett screamed.
Federal tactical teams entered.
Gunfire erupted.
Charles ran.
Victor tipped his chair sideways to avoid bullets.
Scarlett crawled toward Maya.
Martin dragged Lucy behind machinery.
“You okay?”
“Yes!”
Another shot struck nearby.
Charles disappeared through a rear door.
Lucy saw him.
“He’s escaping!”
Martin grabbed her.
“Don’t!”
Lucy broke free.
She chased Charles outside.
Rain hammered the loading dock.
Charles reached a black SUV.
Lucy threw a metal pipe.
It shattered the driver’s window.
Charles turned.
He raised a gun.
“Just like your mother.”
Lucy stopped.
Charles smiled.
“Always one step too brave.”
Martin appeared behind Lucy.
“Drop it!”
Charles pointed the gun at his son.
“You never could finish anything.”
Martin aimed back.
Scarlett emerged from the warehouse.
“Grandpa!”
Charles glanced at her.
Scarlett shouted,
“You killed my mother!”
Charles said nothing.
“That’s all I wanted to know.”
Her face crumpled.
“You did.”
Charles smiled.
“Elaine forced my hand.”
Scarlett screamed and charged him.
Lucy grabbed her.
Charles fired.
Martin pushed both women down.
The bullet grazed his shoulder.
He collapsed.
Lucy screamed,
“Dad!”
The word escaped before she could stop it.
Martin looked at her.
Despite the pain, he smiled.
Charles heard it.
His face darkened.
Police surrounded the dock.
“DROP THE WEAPON!”
Charles looked around.
Then laughed.
He placed the gun beneath his chin.
Martin shouted,
“No!”
Charles smiled.
“You don’t get to put me in a cage.”
Lucy stood.
“Do it.”
Everyone stared at her.
Charles looked surprised.
Lucy continued.
“You want the easy way out?”
His smile faded.
“Go ahead.”
She stepped toward him.
“Mom died slowly.”
Another step.
“Elaine drowned terrified.”
Scarlett began crying.
“You destroyed lives.”
Lucy stared into Charles’s eyes.
“And now you’re scared of a courtroom?”
Charles’s hand trembled.
“Shut up.”
“No.”
“Shut up!”
“You’re not powerful.”
His face twisted.
“You’re a coward.”
Police closed in.
Charles hesitated.
That hesitation cost him.
Martin lunged.
He knocked the gun away.
Officers tackled Charles.
Lucy ran to Martin.
Blood soaked his shoulder.
He looked at her.
“You called me Dad.”
Lucy began crying.
“Don’t make it weird.”
He laughed painfully.
Then an officer ran from the warehouse.
“We have a problem!”
Lucy looked up.
“What?”
The officer pointed inside.
“Victor Lang is gone.”
Scarlett stared.
“He was tied to a chair.”
The officer answered,
“Not anymore.”
May you like
And on the floor beside the empty chair, someone had written four words in blood.
CHARLES WASN’T THE LAST ONE.
