Chapter 10: The Man Behind Vanessa
DON’T COME. VANESSA ISN’T IN CHARGE.
Alexander read the message twice.
Detective Ruiz reached for my phone.
“Marcus sent this?””
“His number did,” I said.
“That doesn’t mean Marcus sent it.””
Alexander was already moving toward the storage-unit door.
“I’m going to the ranch.””
Ruiz blocked him.
“No.””
“My brother is there.””
“Maybe.””
“You saw the photograph.””
“I saw a photograph of Marcus tied to a chair. We don’t know when it was taken.””
Alexander held up his father’s letter.
“They want this.””
“Which means we have something they need. We don’t surrender our only leverage without a plan.””
He stared at her.
“What plan?””
Ruiz looked at Evan.
“How isolated is this ranch?””
“Very,” Alexander answered.
“About forty-five minutes west. Main house, barn, equipment shed. Roughly three hundred acres.””
“Other roads?””
“One service road through the north pasture.””
Ruiz made two calls.
Within fifteen minutes, officers were quietly mobilizing.
No sirens.
No marked cars near the property.
Alexander hated every second of waiting.
So did I.
My mind kept returning to Vanessa standing behind Marcus in that photograph.
If Vanessa wasn’t in charge, who was?
Twenty minutes later, we were in an unmarked SUV.
Ruiz drove.
Alexander sat beside her.
I sat in the back holding Charles Whitmore’s letter inside a clear evidence sleeve.
“You should still be at the hospital,” Alexander said.
“So should you.””
“That’s different.””
“Why?””
He turned.
“Because they threatened you.””
“They threatened you and Noah too.””
He had no answer.
The ranch appeared beyond a long line of oak trees.
No lights.
No movement.
Ruiz stopped half a mile away.
“Stay here.””
Alexander laughed once.
“No.””
“That wasn’t a suggestion.””
“You think I’m sitting in this car while my brother is inside?””
“I think you’re going to avoid getting him killed.””
That stopped him.
Ruiz left with two officers.
We waited.
Five minutes.
Ten.
Then my phone rang.
Vanessa.
Alexander looked at me.
“Answer.””
I put it on speaker.
“Rachel.””
Vanessa sounded strangely calm.
“Where are you?””
“Why?””
“Because Alexander doesn’t listen to me anymore.””
“You tried to hurt his son.””
A pause.
“I never intended to burn Noah.””
Alexander’s jaw tightened.
“Then why did you have the iron?””
“To scare him quiet.””
My stomach turned.
“You threatened a baby with a hot iron.””
“He wouldn’t stop screaming!””
Alexander grabbed the phone.
“You’re finished, Vanessa.””
Silence.
Then she whispered, “Alexander?””
“Yes.””
Her voice changed.
The arrogance disappeared.
“Don’t come inside.””
Alexander glanced toward the dark ranch.
“Why?””
“He’ll kill Marcus.””
“Who?””
“I can’t say.””
“You’re standing beside my brother.””
“I was forced to.””
“You expect me to believe that?””
“No.””
She sounded almost broken.
“But believe this: everything Marcus told you about me is partly true.””
“Partly?””
“I knew about the trust. I married Marcus. I used him.””
Alexander closed his eyes.
“And Noah?””
Vanessa said nothing.
“Did you drug my son?””
“I gave him something to sleep.””
Alexander’s fist struck the dashboard.
I jumped.
“You drugged my baby.””
“He was never supposed to be hurt.””
“You held an iron over his crib!””
“I lost control!””
“Who is in charge?””
Vanessa began crying.
Not the theatrical tears I had seen at the house.
These sounded different.
“His name is Adrian.””
Alexander froze.
“Adrian Hale?””
The line went silent.
“You know him?”” I whispered.
Alexander looked stunned.
“Victor Hale had a son.””
Vanessa whispered, “My brother.””
A sound came through the phone.
A door opening.
Vanessa gasped.
Then a male voice spoke.
“You always were weak, Victoria.””
The call ended.
Alexander immediately tried calling back.
Nothing.
Then gunshots erupted from the direction of the ranch.
Three sharp cracks.
Alexander opened the SUV door.
I grabbed his arm.
“Wait!””
“That’s my brother!””
He ran.
I followed despite every sensible thought telling me not to.
We reached the porch as Ruiz emerged from the side of the house.
“Get down!””
Another shot exploded inside.
Glass shattered.
Officers rushed through the back entrance.
Then someone screamed.
“Help!””
Marcus.
Alexander charged through the front door.
The living room was empty.
A chair lay overturned.
Rope covered the floor.
Blood stained one armrest.
“Marcus!””
“Alex!””
The voice came from the basement.
We followed it.
At the bottom of the stairs, Marcus was crawling across the concrete floor.
His hands were still tied.
Alexander dropped beside him.
“Where’s Vanessa?””
Marcus coughed.
“Adrian took her.””
“Where?””
“Tunnel.””
“What tunnel?””
Marcus pointed toward an old wine rack.
One officer pulled it aside.
Behind it was a narrow door.
Ruiz looked at Alexander.
“Stay here.””
Marcus grabbed Alexander’s sleeve.
“No.””
His face was gray.
“Let Adrian go.””
Alexander stared at him.
“He tried to kill you.””
“He didn’t bring you here to kill me.””
“Then why?””
Marcus looked toward the letter in my hand.
“He wants what Dad hid.””
Alexander’s expression hardened.
“What did Dad hide?””
Marcus swallowed.
“Proof that Victor Hale never owned Whitmore Holdings.””
Alexander frowned.
“What?””
“Our father didn’t steal the company from the Hales.””
Marcus struggled to sit.
“He saved them from prison.””
“What are you talking about?””
Marcus looked at the evidence sleeve.
“That letter isn’t the evidence.””
Alexander glanced at it.
“Then what is?””
Marcus’s eyes shifted toward me.
“Rachel has it.””
I actually laughed from shock.
“I have what?””
May you like
Marcus stared directly at me.
“The key.””
