Chapter 8 - The TrapThe church lights flickered.
Then died.
Someone had cut the power.
Harris raised his flashlight.
"Stay behind me."
A loud crash came from the front door.
Wood splintered.
Thomas grabbed Valerie.
Nick pulled him toward the altar.
Michael moved in the opposite direction.
"What are you doing?" Valerie whispered.
"Giving them what they came for."
"No."
Michael looked at her.
"If they believe I'm alone, they'll follow me."
Harris grabbed his arm.
"You're not going anywhere."
Another crash.
A voice echoed through the church.
"Michael!"
Claire.
Valerie's stomach turned.
"Come out!"
Michael closed his eyes.
Harris whispered,
"We have backup coming."
Michael shook his head.
"We don't have time."
A gunshot shattered a stained-glass window.
Thomas screamed.
Nick covered his head.
Valerie pulled him close.
Then another shot.
Harris fired toward the door.
The attackers backed away.
"Move!" Harris shouted.
They ran through a narrow corridor behind the altar.
Nick knew the church better than anyone.
He led them through a hidden passage and out into the cemetery.
Cold rain began falling.
Michael followed.
They reached a small shed.
Harris locked the door.
Everyone breathed heavily.
Thomas turned toward Michael.
"Why did they want you?"
Michael looked at him.
"Because I know where the money is."
Valerie frowned.
"What money?"
"The money Daniel stole."
"You mean the money from my company?"
"Some of it."
"Some?"
Michael nodded.
"Daniel wasn't stealing from you because he wanted to run away."
Valerie stared.
"Then why?"
"He needed money to pay someone."
"Who?"
Michael looked at Claire's photograph.
"Someone much more powerful than him."
Silence.
Harris leaned closer.
"Who?"
Michael took out a flash drive.
"I found this before I disappeared."
He handed it to Harris.
"What is it?"
"Payments."
"To whom?"
Michael hesitated.
"Politicians. Accountants. Judges. Police officers."
Valerie felt sick.
"You expect me to believe half the city is involved?"
Michael shook his head.
"Not half."
He looked toward the dark cemetery.
"Just enough people to make sure no one can stop them."
The shed door suddenly rattled.
Everyone froze.
Someone was outside.
Claire's voice came through.
"Valerie?"
Thomas whispered,
"Mom, don't answer."
Claire spoke again.
"I know you're in there."
Silence.
"I don't want to hurt you."
Michael whispered,
"She's lying."
Claire sighed outside.
"I only need the boy."
Valerie's blood turned cold.
"Thomas?"
Claire laughed softly.
"No."
A pause.
"I need Nick."
Nick froze.
Valerie looked at him.
"Why would she want Nick?"
Claire answered as though she could hear the question.
"Because Nick knows too much."
Nick's face went pale.
Michael stepped closer to him.
"What do you know?"
Nick shook his head.
"I don't know."
Claire called again.
"You do."
Then she said something that made Michael's expression change.
"Ask him about the night his father died."
Nick stopped breathing.
Valerie stared at him.
"Nick?"
He didn't answer.
Thomas moved beside him.
"Nick?"
Nick's hands began to shake.
Michael whispered,
"Nick..."
The boy looked at him.
"I never told anyone."
"Told them what?"
Nick's eyes filled with tears.
"I saw the man who killed my father."
Silence.
Claire laughed outside.
"Now you understand."
The door shook again.
May you like
And this time, the entire shed was no longer a hiding place.
It was a trap.
