Chapter 12: Warehouse Seventeen
The warehouse stood beside the Chicago River like a rusted tomb.
Rain hammered the metal roof.
Police lights painted the loading docks red and blue.
I stayed inside the squad car until Detective Bennett approached.
“You don't have to go in.””
“Yes, I do.””
She studied me.
Then nodded.
Marcus opened the passenger door.
“I’m coming.””
“So am I,” Julian said.
Caleb stepped out behind him.
Daniel followed.
For once, nobody tried to protect me by keeping me away from the truth.
We entered together.
The smell hit first.
Oil.
Dust.
Wet concrete.
Then I saw it.
A black sedan beneath a gray tarp.
Detective Bennett pulled the tarp away.
My father's car.
I recognized the dent on the rear bumper.
The broken taillight.
The faded sticker on the windshield.
I had seen that car every Sunday growing up.
My legs weakened.
Marcus caught me.
“Claire.””
I whispered, “That's Dad's.””
Bennett nodded.
“It was registered as destroyed after the crash.””
“Then why is it here?””
“We're investigating.””
Daniel crouched near the driver's side.
“Look.””
There were scratches around the ignition.
Bennett photographed them.
Then opened the driver's door.
Inside, the seats were covered in plastic.
Julian stared.
“Why would anyone preserve the car?””
Daniel answered.
“Because they didn't want evidence destroyed.””
“Or,” Caleb said, “because they planned to use it again.””
A metallic sound echoed from the back of the warehouse.
Everyone froze.
Detective Bennett drew her weapon.
“Stay here.””
She moved toward the sound.
A door slammed.
Officers ran.
Then someone shouted.
“Stop!””
Footsteps thundered across concrete.
Marcus pushed me behind a pillar.
A man burst from the shadows.
He was wearing a dark jacket and baseball cap.
He ran directly toward us.
Caleb grabbed him.
The two crashed into a stack of wooden crates.
The man's cap flew off.
Marcus pinned his arm.
“Don't move.””
The man fought wildly.
“Get off me!””
Bennett arrived with two officers.
“Hands behind your back!””
They cuffed him.
I stared at his face.
I didn't recognize him.
But Daniel did.
“That's him.””
Bennett looked at him.
“The investigator?””
Daniel nodded.
“The man from the photograph.””
The man laughed.
“You're too late.””
Bennett grabbed his collar.
“Too late for what?””
He smiled.
“You found the car.””
“So?””
“You still haven't found the person who ordered the crash.””
I stepped forward.
“Who did?””
His eyes found mine.
Then he smiled.
“You already know.””
My blood ran cold.
“Adrian?””
He shook his head.
“Adrian was following orders.””
“Whose?””
The man looked past me.
At Marcus.
Then Julian.
Then Caleb.
“You really don't know, do you?””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Know what?””
The man laughed.
“Your father wasn't investigating Adrian.””
He paused.
“He was investigating you.””
I stared at him.
“That makes no sense.””
“He discovered something about your family.””
“What?””
The man looked at the warehouse doors.
“Ask your brothers.””
Everyone turned toward Marcus.
He went pale.
I looked at him.
“Marcus?””
He didn't answer.
“Ask them what?””
Julian whispered, “Claire…”
“Tell me.””
Caleb closed his eyes.
Then Marcus finally spoke.
“Dad found out one of us wasn't his biological son.””
The world seemed to stop.
I stared at my brothers.
“What?””
Marcus's voice broke.
“And the night Dad died…”
He swallowed.
“He was going to tell us which one.””
A phone began ringing somewhere inside the warehouse.
Everyone turned.
The sound came from my father's car.
Bennett opened the trunk.
Inside was an old phone.
Still powered on.
The screen displayed one incoming call.
*CLAIRE.*
I stared at my own name.
Then the call connected by itself.
A man's voice came through the speaker.
“Now that you've found the car…”
May you like
He paused.
“It's time you found your real father.””
