Chapter 13: My Brother’s Gun
“I’m sorry, Rachel.””
Marcus raised the gun until it pointed directly at my chest.
“But I’ve waited my entire life to own what should have been mine.””
The warehouse suddenly felt enormous.
Every sound echoed.
Vanessa’s breathing.
The distant hum of traffic.
The scrape of Adrian Hale’s shoe against concrete.
I kept both hands around the black box.
“You weren’t kidnapped.””
Marcus smiled without humor.
“Not exactly.””
“The video?””
“Real enough.””
He touched the dried blood above his eyebrow.
“Adrian thought it needed authenticity.””
Vanessa twisted against the ropes around her wrists.
“You lying bastard!””
Marcus pointed the gun toward her for half a second.
“Quiet.””
Vanessa flinched.
That told me something important.
Whatever arrangement Marcus and Adrian had made, Vanessa was no longer part of it.
I looked back at Marcus.
“The red X on Noah’s photograph?””
His face changed.
“That wasn’t mine.””
Adrian laughed.
“Marcus is sentimental about children.””
My stomach turned.
“So you threatened Noah.””
Adrian stepped into the hanging light.
“I threatened leverage.””
“He’s a baby.””
“He’s twenty-two percent of a corporation.””
“That’s all you see?””
“That’s all any Whitmore has ever seen.””
I almost answered.
Then I remembered Detective Ruiz’s instructions.
Keep him talking.
Police were outside.
Alexander was outside.
I just needed time.
I lifted the box slightly.
“You want this?””
Adrian’s eyes followed it.
“Yes.””
“Then let Vanessa go.””
Vanessa stared at me.
Shock crossed her face.
After everything she had done, she hadn’t expected me to bargain for her.
Adrian smiled.
“You still think you’re negotiating.””
“I have the originals.””
“And I have the only two people who can explain what happened five years ago.””
I looked at Marcus.
“Emily.””
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
Adrian’s smile widened.
“There it is.””
“What happened to her?””
Marcus said, “Rachel—”
“No.””
I stared at him.
“You called her that morning.””
He looked away.
“Why?””
“She found out about Victoria.””
Vanessa closed her eyes at the old name.
“She knew you were working with the Hales?””
Marcus nodded.
“She found messages.””
“And you called her.””
“I asked her to meet me.””
Alexander had told us Emily left the house at 6:14.
She crashed thirty-eight minutes later.
“Where were you supposed to meet?””
“Coffee shop near the highway.””
“Did she make it?””
“No.””
“Why not?””
Marcus looked toward Adrian.
Adrian’s expression warned him.
That was the second useful thing I noticed.
Marcus wasn’t fully in control either.
“Tell me,” I said.
Marcus swallowed.
“Victoria followed her.””
Vanessa snapped her head up.
“No!””
Marcus ignored her.
“She knew Emily had evidence.””
Vanessa struggled against the ropes.
“You said you wouldn’t tell him!””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“Tell who? Alexander?””
My pulse jumped.
He didn’t know Alexander was outside.
Good.
Marcus continued.
“Victoria called Emily while she was driving.””
Vanessa shouted, “Stop!””
“What did you tell her?”” I asked.
Vanessa shook her head wildly.
“I didn’t kill her.””
“Then tell me.””
Tears ran down her face.
“I told Emily to pull over.””
“Why?””
“I wanted the documents.””
“What documents?””
“Printouts of my messages with Marcus.””
Marcus looked at the floor.
Vanessa’s voice broke.
“She refused.””
“And then?””
“She got angry. We argued.””
“You were on the phone?””
“Yes.””
“What happened?””
Vanessa began sobbing.
“She said she was going straight to Alexander.””
Adrian suddenly stepped forward.
“Enough.””
I tightened my grip on the box.
“You need these documents more than I need your confession.””
Adrian stopped.
Good.
I looked at Vanessa.
“What happened?””
She whispered, “I told her something.””
“What?””
“That Marcus had been sleeping with me.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
Vanessa continued.
“I wanted to hurt her. Distract her. Make her pull over.””
My stomach twisted.
“And?””
“She started screaming at me.””
Vanessa’s voice collapsed.
“Then I heard tires.””
The warehouse went silent.
“A horn.””
She squeezed her eyes shut.
“And then nothing.””
“So you caused the crash.””
“I didn’t know she would lose control!””
Marcus suddenly shouted, “But you deleted the call!””
Vanessa stared at him.
“You helped me!””
“I was terrified!””
“You were protecting yourself!””
Adrian pulled his gun.
“Both of you shut up.””
That was when I heard it.
Very faintly.
Metal scraping behind the far wall.
Police.
Adrian heard it too.
His eyes shifted.
“Give me the box.””
I didn’t move.
“Rachel.””
“No.””
Marcus aimed at me again.
“Don’t make this harder.””
I looked at him.
“You’re my brother.””
His face twitched.
“Half brother.””
“So is Alexander.””
His expression hardened.
“Alexander got everything.””
“You had everything.””
“No.””
His voice rose.
“He got Dad’s trust. Dad’s respect. Dad’s company.””
“And you got his name.””
“I wanted his chair.””
There it was.
Not justice.
Not survival.
Jealousy.
Adrian extended his hand.
“The box.””
I looked at Vanessa.
Then Marcus.
Then Adrian.
And I dropped it.
The metal box struck the concrete.
Documents scattered everywhere.
Adrian lunged.
Marcus instinctively looked down.
I threw myself sideways.
The warehouse doors exploded open.
“POLICE! DROP YOUR WEAPONS!””
Gunfire cracked.
Vanessa screamed.
Marcus spun.
Adrian fired toward the entrance.
Then another shot thundered from somewhere behind me.
Marcus dropped his weapon.
He stared at his shoulder.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Adrian grabbed Vanessa by the hair and dragged her upright.
“Back off!””
He pressed his gun against her head.
Officers froze.
Then a voice came from the darkness behind them.
“Let her go.””
Alexander stepped into view.
Adrian smiled.
“Finally.””
Alexander’s eyes moved from Marcus to Vanessa.
Then to me.
“You okay?””
I nodded.
Adrian tightened his arm around Vanessa’s throat.
“Put your gun down.””
Alexander wasn’t holding one.
Adrian laughed.
“Of course. The respectable Whitmore.””
He dragged Vanessa toward a side exit.
“Everyone stays where they are.””
Vanessa suddenly looked at me.
Her terrified expression changed.
Not much.
Just enough.
I realized what she was about to do.
“Vanessa, don’t—”
She drove her heel down on Adrian’s foot.
He cursed.
She twisted.
May you like
His gun fired.
And Vanessa collapsed.
