Chapter 12: The Prisoner in the Abandoned Warehouse
I stared at the photograph.
My biological father stood between Evelyn and Daniel, his wrists bound behind his back.
He was alive.
Three days after Thomas supposedly died.
"Where was this taken?"" I asked.
Marcus opened another folder.
"An abandoned industrial property outside Charleston. Daniel used it as a storage facility.""
Caleb snatched the photograph.
"How did you get this?""
"From Daniel's private office. He kept a copy in a locked drawer.""
"Why?""
Marcus looked exhausted.
"Because he wanted leverage over Mom.""
I stepped closer.
"Is my father still there?""
"I don't know.""
"Then we're going.""
Caleb shook his head.
"Not without contacting law enforcement.""
Marcus laughed bitterly.
"Daniel has people inside the local police department. That's how he kept this hidden.""
Caleb studied him.
"Do you have proof?""
Marcus removed a second document.
It was a list of payments made to several individuals.
One name appeared repeatedly.
A deputy sheriff.
Caleb photographed every page.
"These will be enough to start an independent investigation.""
I grabbed the photograph again.
"How old is this?""
"Eleven years," Marcus answered.
"Then he could be dead.""
Marcus shook his head.
"No. I received a message from Daniel last week. He said James was still alive.""
My heart began pounding.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I didn't know whether to believe him.""
I turned away.
For eleven years, I had been married to a man who knew the truth about my father.
And every time I asked questions about my childhood, he had smiled and changed the subject.
I looked at Marcus.
"You're going to help us find him.""
He nodded.
"Yes.""
"And after that, you're going to tell the police everything.""
His face tightened.
"Sarah—"
"Everything, Marcus. Including your part.""
He lowered his head.
"All right.""
The industrial property was located near an old shipping yard.
Rows of abandoned warehouses stretched along a narrow road.
Caleb contacted an investigator he trusted and shared the documents.
They agreed to meet us at the property.
But we didn't wait.
The photograph showed a distinctive metal gate with a broken sign above it.
We found the building shortly after two in the morning.
A single light glowed inside.
Marcus pointed toward the entrance.
"That's the place.""
Caleb examined the locks.
"Someone has been here recently.""
I heard a faint noise.
A metallic scraping sound.
Then a voice.
"Help!""
My heart stopped.
"James?""
No answer.
I moved toward the door.
Caleb caught my arm.
"Let me go first.""
He pushed the door open.
The smell hit us immediately.
Dust.
Damp concrete.
Old machinery.
A narrow hallway led toward the back of the building.
Then we heard another voice.
"Who's there?""
Marcus switched on his flashlight.
A man sat inside a small room.
He was thin, with gray hair and a long beard.
His wrists were marked with old scars.
He looked up.
His eyes moved from Marcus to Caleb.
Then they stopped on me.
For a long moment, he didn't speak.
I took one step forward.
"My name is Sarah.""
The man began trembling.
"Sarah?""
I nodded.
He stood slowly, gripping the edge of the table.
"Oh, my God.""
He reached toward me but stopped halfway.
"You're Margaret's daughter.""
Tears filled my eyes.
"Are you James Anderson?""
He nodded.
I couldn't breathe.
"My father?""
His face crumpled.
"Yes, sweetheart.""
I rushed forward.
He wrapped his arms around me.
For the first time in my life, I felt someone holding me who had every reason to have been there from the beginning.
"I thought you were dead," I whispered.
James kissed the top of my head.
"I thought I'd never see you.""
Caleb checked the room.
"James, we need to get you out of here.""
James stepped away.
"Daniel knows I'm still alive.""
Marcus approached cautiously.
"Where is he?""
James looked at him.
His expression hardened.
"Your brother is not the only person you should fear.""
Marcus frowned.
"What do you mean?""
James turned toward me.
"Your mother came here last night.""
I froze.
"Margaret?""
He nodded.
"She brought food. She told me she was going to find you.""
I looked at Caleb.
"Patricia said Margaret was dead.""
James shook his head.
"Patricia was wrong. Margaret is alive.""
My heart began racing.
"Where is she?""
James looked toward the ceiling.
"She left an hour before you arrived. She said she had to retrieve something from Evelyn.""
Caleb stepped closer.
"What?""
James reached beneath his chair and removed a small envelope.
"An original bank ledger.""
He handed it to me.
"Your mother found proof that Evelyn and Daniel weren't the only people stealing from Carter Industries.""
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a list of transactions.
The final entry was dated just three days earlier.
A transfer of $2.4 million had been made from the family trust.
The authorization signature belonged to Richard Hale.
I stared at it.
"Richard?""
Caleb took the paper.
His expression changed immediately.
"That can't be right.""
James nodded.
"It is.""
Marcus stepped backward.
"Richard was Dad's attorney.""
James looked at him.
"Exactly.""
Then he leaned toward me.
"Sarah, there's something else you need to know.""
He lowered his voice.
"Richard wasn't just helping Evelyn hide the inheritance.""
He paused.
"He was the person who arranged Thomas's death.""
Before I could respond, headlights swept across the warehouse windows.
Several vehicles stopped outside.
Doors slammed.
A loudspeaker crackled.
"James Anderson! Step away from the door!""
Caleb reached for his phone.
Marcus looked through a broken window.
His face turned white.
"It's Richard.""
A voice came from outside.
"Sarah, I know you're in there.""
Then Richard Hale spoke again.
"Put the ledger on the floor and walk outside.""
I clutched the envelope.
"Why?""
His answer sent a chill through the warehouse.
"Because your mother is standing beside me.""
A second voice followed.
Weak.
Familiar.
"Sarah, sweetheart, don't give him anything.""
I rushed toward the window.
A woman stood beneath the headlights.
Gray hair.
Green eyes.
A trembling hand raised toward the glass.
My mother.
Margaret Mitchell.
Alive.
May you like
But Richard was holding a gun against her back.
And he was smiling.
