Chapter 10 - The Backup Drive
There was one problem with Charles’ demand.
The drive didn’t exist.
Not anymore.
Three months earlier, I had copied everything onto an encrypted cloud account.
The physical drive in my safe was obsolete.
Charles didn’t know that.
Detective Reed did now.
“We use a fake,” he said.
“You think Charles will let police walk into an exchange?”
“No.”
“Then how do we save Maya?”
“We track communication, control the meeting, and don’t improvise.”
I stared at him.
“You say that like you’ve never met me.”
He almost smiled.
Almost.
Charles texted instructions twenty minutes later.
MIDNIGHT. OLD BOTTLING FACILITY. COME ALONE.
Reed read it.
“He’s not expecting you alone.”
“What?”
“He’s expecting you scared.”
“I am scared.”
“Good.”
I frowned.
He continued.
“Fear keeps smart people careful.”
Police fitted me with a small transmitter.
My lawyer nearly had a stroke when she heard the plan.
“This is insane.”
“It’s controlled.”
“You were assaulted twelve hours ago.”
“And Maya stepped between me and Adrian.”
“That does not make you responsible for saving her.”
“No.”
I looked at the fake backup drive in my hand.
“But it makes me unwilling to leave her there.”
At 11:57 p.m., I drove to the abandoned bottling facility near the edge of the vineyard.
The building was dark except for one yellow bulb above a rusted loading door.
I walked inside.
“Charles?”
My voice echoed.
Nothing.
Then a light snapped on.
Maya sat in a chair twenty feet away.
Her hands were tied.
Tape covered her mouth.
Charles stood behind her.
Gordon stood near the door holding a handgun.
My pulse slammed.
Charles smiled.
“You came.”
“Let her go.”
“The drive.”
I held it up.
“First Maya.”
He laughed softly.
“You still think you’re negotiating.”
“I think you need what I have.”
His smile disappeared.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
Gordon raised the gun.
I looked at Charles.
“If I die, everything gets released.”
That was partly true.
Vanessa had access to the encrypted cloud folder.
Charles studied me.
“You’re bluffing.”
“Try me.”
Maya made a desperate sound.
Charles stepped closer.
“You think Adrian is a monster.”
“He is.”
“You think I created him.”
“Yes.”
He smiled.
“At least we agree on something.”
My stomach twisted.
“You covered up Natalie’s death.”
“I protected my son.”
“You burned my condo.”
“I protected my family.”
“You kidnapped Maya.”
“Again. Family.”
I stared at him.
“How many women?”
The smile vanished.
“How many did you make disappear?”
Gordon shifted.
Charles’ eyes hardened.
“You’re wearing a wire.”
Everything stopped.
My blood ran cold.
He crossed the distance between us and struck me across the face.
I fell.
The transmitter ripped from under my blouse.
He crushed it beneath his shoe.
Then Gordon’s gun moved toward my head.
Charles crouched beside me.
May you like
“You should have taken the apartment in Oakland.”
A gunshot exploded through the building.
