Chapter 9 - What Nick SawNick sat on the floor, trembling.
Valerie knelt beside him.
"Nobody is going to hurt you."
Nick shook his head.
"You don't know that."
"I won't let them."
Michael watched him carefully.
"What happened to your father?"
Nick stared at his hands.
"He worked at a warehouse."
"What warehouse?"
"The same warehouse Michael was accused of burning."
Harris stiffened.
"That's impossible."
Nick nodded.
"That's what I thought too."
He began to explain.
His father had discovered boxes containing forged financial documents.
He had taken pictures.
He planned to expose them.
Then one night, he never came home.
The police ruled it an accident.
Nick never believed them.
He had followed his father days earlier.
He had seen him arguing with a man in a black coat.
Gray hair.
Black coat.
The same man Michael had described.
"The man said my father had stolen something."
"What?"
"A list."
Michael's face changed.
"What list?"
Nick looked at him.
"I don't know."
"But you saw it?"
Nick nodded.
"My father had a notebook."
Harris frowned.
"Do you still have it?"
"No."
"Who took it?"
Nick swallowed.
"Daniel."
Valerie felt cold.
"How?"
"After my father died, Daniel came to the funeral."
Nick's voice became quieter.
"He talked to my mother."
"Then?"
"He gave us money."
Valerie stared.
"Why would Daniel give your family money?"
"Because he wanted the notebook."
Michael closed his eyes.
"That means Nick's father found the payment ledger."
Harris looked at him.
"What ledger?"
"The one that proves who received the money."
Valerie's mind raced.
"Is that what Daniel is after?"
"Yes."
"Then why kidnap Nick?"
Michael answered.
"Because Nick may remember where his father hid it."
Nick suddenly looked up.
"I do."
Everyone turned.
"Where?"
Nick swallowed.
"Inside the wall of our old apartment."
Harris stood.
"Then we go there."
"No," Michael said.
Everyone looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because that is exactly where they expect us to go."
The shed door stopped rattling.
Silence.
Then Claire spoke.
"You have five minutes."
Harris moved toward the door.
"She's trying to scare us."
Michael shook his head.
"No."
He looked at his watch.
"She's giving us time because she knows we can't leave."
Valerie frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Michael pointed to the floor.
A faint red light blinked beneath the shed.
A tracker.
They had been marked.
Harris cursed.
"They can see us."
Nick stared at the light.
Then suddenly his eyes widened.
"I know where to go."
"Where?"
"The restaurant."
Valerie stared.
"Why?"
Nick looked at her.
"Because my father's ledger isn't hidden in the apartment anymore."
"Where is it?"
Nick took a breath.
"I gave it to someone."
"Who?"
Nick's eyes moved toward Thomas.
"Your son."
Thomas looked confused.
"I don't have it."
Nick shook his head.
"You do."
Thomas's face went pale.
"When?"
Nick whispered:
"The night we met."
Valerie stared at both boys.
"What did you give him?"
Thomas reached into his pocket.
His fingers touched something small.
He pulled out an old key.
Valerie recognized it immediately.
It was from her office.
And attached to it was a tiny metal tag.
May you like
Stamped with one number.
17.
