Chapter 10 - UNIT 214
The storage facility sat behind an abandoned furniture warehouse outside town.
No sign.
No lights except one buzzing fixture over the gate.
11:22 p.m.
Ethan drove in alone.
At least, that was how it looked.
Detective Hale and a tactical team waited two blocks away.
A tiny audio transmitter was taped beneath Ethan's shirt.
Unit 214 sat at the far end.
He inserted Laura's silver key.
The lock opened.
Inside were six cardboard boxes.
A desk.
A laptop.
And Mrs. Bell.
She was tied to a chair but conscious.
Ethan rushed toward her.
“Are you hurt?”
She shook her head violently.
“Don't.”
He stopped.
“Don't what?”
Her eyes dropped toward the floor.
A thin wire ran beneath her chair.
Ethan froze.
“Okay.”
His voice became calm.
“Don't move.”
A speaker crackled from the desk.
Then a man's voice.
“Good evening, Ethan.”
Daniel.
Ethan stared into the darkness.
“Where are you?”
“Closer than you think.”
“You drugged my daughter.”
“Vivian did.”
“You ordered it.”
“Words matter.”
“You killed Laura.”
Silence.
Then Daniel chuckled.
“That's an emotional accusation.”
“She saw you under the car.”
“Children see many things.”
“You were there.”
“She should have stayed quiet.”
Ethan felt rage climb into his throat.
But Hale's voice echoed in his hidden earpiece.
Keep him talking.
Ethan forced himself to breathe.
“What did Laura find?”
Daniel's amusement disappeared.
“Now we're asking the correct question.”
“What did she find?”
“Records.”
“What records?”
“People pay large amounts of money to make inconvenient problems disappear.”
“Children are inconvenient problems?”
“Sometimes children know things.”
Ethan's hands curled into fists.
Daniel continued.
“Laura discovered that Vivian had falsified medical records. She thought exposing one nurse would solve everything.”
“But Vivian wasn't alone.”
“No.”
“Who else?”
“Open the second box.”
Ethan moved carefully.
Inside were folders.
Dozens.
Names.
Photos.
Medical forms.
Guardianship papers.
Insurance records.
“This is why Laura died?”
“This is why Laura became difficult.”
Ethan scanned the names.
Some were children.
Some were adults.
Then he found Caleb Monroe.
His dead father's name was listed beside a payout amount.
Ethan whispered, “You stage accidents.”
“I solve problems.”
“You murder people.”
Daniel's voice sharpened.
“Be careful.”
Mrs. Bell's eyes widened.
Behind Ethan, something moved.
He spun.
Vivian stood in the doorway.
No handcuffs.
No police.
A small metal object trembled in her hand.
Ethan stared.
“You escaped?”
Vivian looked terrified.
“No.”
“Then how are you here?”
She raised the object.
It wasn't a weapon.
It was a key.
She whispered:
May you like
“Because the detective who drove me to booking works for Daniel.”
---
