Chapter 8 - MY SISTER'S ULTIMATUMI wanted to scream.
Instead, I showed Daniel the message.
His jaw tightened.
Margaret called the police.
I knew it was the right thing.
But every second we waited terrified me.
Savannah had Zoe's location.
That meant she had been watching us.
Maybe for days.
Maybe longer.
Daniel examined the message.
“She wants you isolated.”
“Why?”
“To control the exchange.”
“What exchange?”
“Whatever she wants.”
I looked at my sister's message again.
Another text arrived.
WAREHOUSE 17.
ONE HOUR.
COME ALONE.
My heart raced.
“I’m going.”
Daniel grabbed my arm.
“No.”
“She threatened my daughter.”
“Which means she expects you to go.”
“I don't care.”
“She wants something.”
“I'll find out.”
Daniel looked at me.
Then he said:
“I'm coming.”
“No.”
“If you go alone, you're walking into a trap.”
We arrived near the warehouse forty minutes later.
The building was abandoned.
The doors were half open.
I stepped inside.
“Savannah?”
No answer.
A light clicked on.
Savannah appeared on a metal staircase.
She wasn't smiling.
She looked terrified.
“I didn't hurt Zoe.”
I froze.
“Where is she?”
Savannah shook her head.
“I don't have her.”
“Then why did you threaten me?”
“Because I needed you to come.”
“For what?”
She came down the stairs.
She was crying.
“I found something.”
“What?”
She handed me a flash drive.
“Mom left this.”
I stared at it.
“You've had this?”
“Since I was twelve.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Dad told me you'd destroy the family.”
My heart broke.
“He told you I was the problem?”
Savannah nodded.
“He said you were going to take everything.”
“Everything?”
“The money.”
I looked at the drive.
“What is on it?”
“Proof.”
“Proof of what?”
Savannah whispered:
“Dad didn't kill Mom.”
I stared at her.
“You said she was murdered.”
“She was.”
“Then who killed her?”
Savannah looked behind me.
I turned.
A shadow moved.
Daniel entered the warehouse.
Savannah panicked.
“No!”
A gunshot.
Daniel fell.
“Daniel!”
I ran toward him.
He hit the floor.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Savannah screamed.
“I didn't do it!”
Another shot.
This one hit the wall inches from my head.
The lights went out.
Someone was inside the warehouse.
Not Savannah.
Not Daniel.
Someone else.
I grabbed Savannah's arm.
“Run!”
We raced through the back door.
Snow hit my face.
We hid behind a storage building.
Savannah was sobbing.
I whispered:
“Who shot him?”
“I don't know.”
“Who has Zoe?”
She shook her head.
“I told you. I don't.”
Then she looked at me.
Her face changed.
“Clara.”
“What?”
“I know who does.”
“Who?”
She whispered a name.
May you like
And my blood turned to ice.
“Mom.”
