Chapter 12 - WHERE DANIEL DIED
The bridge had changed.
New concrete.
New railings.
New lights.
But Helen recognized it immediately.
Daniel Mercer had died below it twenty-seven years earlier.
Grant waited near the center.
Eleanor knelt beside him.
Her hands were tied.
Sadie carried the ledger.
Roman walked beside her.
Grant smiled.
"The children finally arrived."
Roman's voice was cold.
"Let her go."
"Ledger first."
Sadie stepped forward.
"Why did you kill my father?"
Grant laughed.
"Still chasing ghosts?"
"No."
Sadie glanced at Roman.
"I married one."
Grant's smile disappeared.
Roman almost looked amused.
Sadie held up the ledger.
"You want this?"
"Throw it."
"Release Eleanor."
Grant pressed a gun against Eleanor's shoulder.
"Don't negotiate with me."
Sadie stopped.
Roman whispered, "Sadie."
She knew what he meant.
Trust me.
Sadie threw the ledger.
Grant caught it.
Then shoved Eleanor forward.
Roman rushed toward his mother.
Grant opened the ledger.
His face changed.
Blank pages.
"You stupid—"
Sadie smiled.
"The original is with federal investigators."
Grant raised the gun.
Roman covered Eleanor.
Sadie didn't move.
"You ruined everything!" Grant screamed.
"No."
Sadie stared at him.
"My father did."
Sirens erupted.
Grant spun around.
Red and blue lights appeared on both ends of the bridge.
He had nowhere to go.
Grant grabbed Sadie.
The gun pressed against her neck.
Roman froze.
"Let her go."
Grant dragged Sadie backward.
"Tell them to move!"
Roman raised his hands.
"Arthur."
"SHUT UP!"
"You're surrounded."
"I said shut up!"
Sadie felt Grant's arm shaking.
He was afraid.
That mattered.
Fear made people predictable.
Roman looked at her.
Not at Grant.
At her.
Sadie understood.
Grant stepped backward.
Once.
Twice.
His heel approached the railing.
Sadie suddenly dropped her weight.
Grant lost balance.
Roman charged.
The gun fired.
Sadie screamed.
Roman hit Grant.
The weapon skidded across the road.
Agents rushed forward.
Grant punched Roman.
Roman hit him back.
Once.
Hard.
Grant stumbled toward the railing.
Roman grabbed his jacket.
For one moment, Grant hung over the edge.
Twenty-seven years earlier, Daniel Mercer had died below them.
Grant looked up.
"Do it."
Roman stared at him.
"Do it!"
Roman could have released his hand.
Nobody would have blamed him.
Sadie watched.
Roman pulled Grant back onto the bridge.
Agents tackled him.
Grant screamed.
"WHY?"
Roman adjusted his torn jacket.
Then looked down at him.
"Because prison lasts longer than falling."
Sadie laughed through her tears.
Then she saw blood.
Roman's shirt.
"Roman?"
He looked down.
May you like
The bullet had hit him.
And suddenly, his knees gave out.
