Chapter 13 - THE UNCLE WHO DIEDGunfire erupted outside.
Hale pushed everyone behind the workbench.
Daniel grabbed Caleb.
Ryan pulled my mother down.
The voice disappeared.
Then the garage door slammed shut.
For three seconds, nothing happened.
Then the generator kicked on.
Light flooded the room.
Martin was gone.
But there was a phone on the floor.
It began ringing.
Hale answered.
Martin's voice came through.
“You've finally opened the right case.”
“Where are you?”
“You already know.”
Hale looked around.
“No.”
“Your family knows.”
I stepped forward.
“Martin.”
The line went silent.
Then:
“You remember me.”
“Yes.”
“You remember the convoy?”
“Yes.”
“You remember who stood beside you?”
I closed my eyes.
A face.
A silver ring.
Cedar.
Martin.
“You.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you found the manifest.”
“I didn't know what it meant.”
“You would have.”
“Why attack us?”
“Because Vane panicked.”
“You ordered it.”
“No.”
Martin's voice became cold.
“I gave him information.”
“That caused the attack.”
“I intended to scare you.”
“People died.”
“Yes.”
“You killed them.”
“I didn't pull the trigger.”
I felt sick.
“You expect me to care about the distinction?”
“No.”
He paused.
“I expect you to know why.”
I looked at Hale.
“Why?”
Martin laughed softly.
“Because your father was going to expose us.”
Dad closed his eyes.
“What did you do?”
Martin continued.
“He found the money trail.”
Dad whispered:
“I was trying to stop you.”
“You were trying to save Audrey.”
Martin sighed.
“And you failed.”
The phone line went dead.
Then another message arrived.
A photograph.
Ryan.
Standing in the Cooper Builders office.
Beside Richard Vane.
The date was yesterday.
Ryan stared at it.
“I didn't know he was there.”
I looked at him.
“You met him yesterday.”
“No.”
“You did.”
“I swear.”
Daniel grabbed the phone.
The image had been edited.
But one detail was real.
A reflection in the office window.
A man standing behind Ryan.
Not Vane.
Martin.
Ryan's face changed.
“I didn't see him.”
Hale looked at the image.
“Neither did you.”
He zoomed in.
“Because Martin didn't want you to.”
I understood.
“He's been manipulating all of us.”
Then my father's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Martin said:
“Bring Audrey to the warehouse.”
Dad refused.
Martin laughed.
“Then I'll send Caleb's second recording to the FBI.”
Caleb went rigid.
“What second recording?”
Martin answered:
“The one where Audrey tells investigators who gave her the route.”
I stared at Caleb.
“What does that mean?”
Caleb looked at me.
“I never heard that recording.”
Hale's phone buzzed.
He read a new message.
BRING RYAN TOO.
I looked between my brother and my father.
Martin wanted all three of us.
For the first time, I understood why.
This wasn't about money.
It was about control.
The family had been divided for nine years.
And Martin had been sitting somewhere, pulling the strings.
I picked up my jacket.
Hale blocked me.
“No.”
“I have to go.”
“You're not going alone.”
I looked at Ryan.
He was staring at the floor.
“I'll go too,” he said.
Daniel stepped beside him.
“So will I.”
Hale hesitated.
Then Caleb spoke.
“I know where the warehouse is.”
I turned.
“How?”
May you like
He looked at me.
“Because that's where they kept me.”
