Chapter 13 - SOPHIE’S TRAP
Adrian turned so fast he nearly fell.
“Sophie!”
The parking area was chaos.
Agents.
Ambulances.
Fire trucks.
Smoke.
But Sophie was no longer beside Mercer.
Adrian ran.
“Where is she?”
Mercer looked confused.
“She was right—”
A scream came from behind an ambulance.
Adrian sprinted toward it.
One federal agent lay unconscious.
His weapon was missing.
Beyond him, Sophie was being dragged toward a black sedan.
Richard had one arm around her.
A gun pressed against her side.
“Stop!”
Richard turned.
“Stay back.”
Sophie’s face was pale.
But she wasn’t crying.
Adrian raised his hands.
“Let her go.”
“Give me the drive.”
Rachel arrived behind him.
Richard pressed the gun harder against Sophie.
“Tell her to drop her weapon.”
“Rachel.”
She lowered it.
Richard smiled.
“Good.”
Adrian slowly reached into his jacket.
“You want the evidence?”
“All copies.”
“You know I don’t have all copies.”
“Then give me the master drive.”
Adrian showed him one of the recovered drives.
Richard’s eyes shifted.
Just once.
Sophie noticed.
She looked at Adrian.
Then down.
Then back at him.
A tiny movement.
Adrian understood.
Emily used to play a game with Sophie.
Three squeezes meant wait.
Two meant run.
One meant now.
Sophie’s fingers curled against Richard’s arm.
Once.
Adrian threw the drive into the air.
Richard instinctively looked up.
Sophie bit his hand.
Hard.
Richard screamed.
She dropped to the ground.
Adrian charged.
The gun fired.
Pain exploded through Adrian’s shoulder.
He hit Richard at full speed.
They crashed against the sedan.
Richard punched him.
Adrian barely felt it.
He hit back.
Years of rage came out in one blow.
Then another.
Richard fell.
Adrian climbed on top of him.
“You killed Emily!”
Punch.
“You used Lucas!”
Punch.
“You tried to kill Sophie!”
Punch.
Richard laughed through blood.
“She was never supposed to survive.”
Adrian froze.
“What?”
Richard smiled.
“The hospital.”
Adrian’s face changed.
Richard whispered, “Emily wasn’t the only target.”
Adrian grabbed his throat.
“What are you talking about?”
“Emily knew she was being followed. She was driving to pick up Sophie.”
Adrian went cold.
Richard laughed.
“If Vanessa had waited ten more minutes, your daughter would’ve been in the car too.”
Adrian raised his fist.
Then Sophie’s voice stopped him.
“Daddy.”
He turned.
She stood behind Rachel.
Terrified.
Adrian looked at his bloody hands.
Slowly, he lowered his fist.
Agents rushed in.
They handcuffed Richard.
As they dragged him away, Richard looked back.
“You’re weak.”
Adrian stood.
“No.”
He looked at Sophie.
“I’m done becoming you.”
Richard was placed in a vehicle.
Sophie ran to Adrian.
Then she saw the blood on his shoulder.
“Daddy!”
“I’m okay.”
“You got shot!”
“Technically, grazed.”
“That’s still shot!”
Despite the pain, he laughed.
Then Rachel’s phone rang.
She answered.
Her expression changed.
“What is it?” Adrian asked.
Rachel slowly lowered the phone.
“Lucas woke up.”
“And?”
“He wants to confess.”
Adrian nodded.
“That’s good.”
Rachel didn’t look relieved.
“There’s one problem.”
“What?”
“Lucas says Vanessa wasn’t the person who entered Emily’s hospital room.”
Adrian stared at her.
“Then who was?”
May you like
Rachel swallowed.
“He says it was someone Emily trusted.”
