Chapter 12 - CASE 18The second case was smaller.
Newer.
No burn marks.
No scratches.
A lock.
Inside was a notebook.
My handwriting.
I stared at it.
“This is mine.”
Hale picked it up carefully.
“When did you write this?”
I flipped through the pages.
Dates.
Times.
Vehicle numbers.
Names.
The final page had one sentence.
IF I DISAPPEAR, TRUST DANIEL BROOKS.
Daniel went pale.
“I've never seen that.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you write it?”
“I don't remember.”
A sound came from the garage door.
Everyone turned.
Footsteps.
Someone entered.
Hale raised his weapon.
“Stay back.”
The door opened.
A man stumbled inside.
Older.
Bearded.
Blood on his sleeve.
My heart stopped.
“Caleb?”
He looked at me.
“Audrey.”
I ran toward him.
Hale caught my arm.
“Wait.”
Caleb lifted both hands.
“It's okay.”
Daniel stared.
“How did you get out?”
Caleb laughed weakly.
“I didn't.”
“What?”
“They let me go.”
Hale's expression hardened.
“Who?”
Caleb looked at Ryan.
Ryan stepped back.
Caleb whispered:
“Martin.”
Everyone went silent.
“Where is he?”
Caleb pointed toward me.
“He's been trying to reach you.”
“Why?”
“He says he knows what happened.”
I looked at the notebook.
“What happened?”
Caleb's eyes filled with tears.
“The convoy attack was a cover.”
“For what?”
“A theft.”
“What was stolen?”
“The green case.”
I frowned.
“But the case was with me.”
“No.”
Caleb shook his head.
“Case 17 was a decoy.”
My blood turned cold.
“The real case was 18.”
Daniel looked at the notebook.
“What was inside?”
Caleb answered.
“Names.”
“Whose names?”
“People who were paid.”
I looked at Ryan.
“Paid for what?”
Caleb's gaze dropped.
“The attack.”
Ryan whispered:
“Who?”
Caleb looked at him.
“Your uncle.”
Dad's face went white.
“Martin.”
Caleb nodded.
“Martin paid Vane.”
I felt sick.
“For the attack?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Caleb looked at me.
“Because Martin thought Audrey had evidence against him.”
I stared.
“I didn't.”
“You did.”
“What?”
“You just didn't know it.”
Caleb reached into his jacket and pulled out a photograph.
Me.
Standing beside the convoy.
Holding a clipboard.
On the clipboard was a shipping manifest.
One line circled.
PACKAGE 18.
My hand went numb.
I remembered that morning.
The green case.
The sudden route change.
The man in civilian clothes.
The explosion.
And now something else.
A voice.
My father's voice.
“Don't let them take the case.”
I looked at Dad.
“You were there.”
He started crying.
“I came because Martin called me.”
Ryan whispered:
“Dad…”
I stepped back.
“Why did you never tell me?”
Dad looked at me.
“Because the person who ordered the attack was standing next to you.”
I stared.
“Who?”
Dad looked toward the garage door.
The lights went out.
Caleb whispered:
“Too late.”
A man's voice came from the darkness.
May you like
“Hello, Audrey.”
Martin.
