Chapter 11 - THE BASEMENT
Police surrounded the abandoned Riverside property quietly.
Arthur was ordered to stay in the command vehicle.
He lasted six minutes.
Maya caught him opening the door.
“Sit down.”
“My niece is in there.”
“And if Richard sees you early, she may not be.”
Arthur slammed the door shut.
“I hate this.”
“Good. Means you’re finally not in control.”
He looked at her.
“You enjoy talking to me like that.”
“A little.”
Inside the basement, tactical officers found Emily’s chair.
Empty.
A phone was taped beneath it.
It rang.
Serena answered.
Richard’s voice filled the command van.
“Too slow.”
Arthur leaned toward the speaker.
“Richard.”
“Hello, Arthur.”
“Where is she?”
“Moving.”
“You’re surrounded.”
“No. An empty diner is surrounded.”
Arthur shut his eyes.
Richard had anticipated them.
Then Maya noticed something in the photograph again.
“Wait.”
She enlarged it.
On the floor behind Emily was white powder.
Not dust.
Flour.
Maya looked at Serena.
“The diner basement never had a kitchen.”
Serena frowned.
“You sure?”
“I spent three years there.”
Arthur understood.
“The photo was staged somewhere else.”
Maya pointed to the neon sign.
“That sign was sold after the fire.”
“To who?”
She thought.
Then remembered.
“A restaurant-supply warehouse bought almost everything.”
Serena searched property records.
The warehouse still existed.
Owned through a shell company.
Richard’s.
Police changed course.
This time Maya stayed in the vehicle.
Arthur didn’t.
He followed Serena inside despite being told not to.
They found Emily upstairs.
Alive.
Terrified.
Richard stood behind her with one arm around her shoulders and a gun in his other hand.
“Stop.”
Arthur stopped.
Emily looked at him.
“Are you Arthur?”
His chest tightened.
“Yes.”
“Claire said you’d come.”
Arthur’s eyes filled.
“She talked about me?”
Emily nodded.
Richard pressed the gun closer.
“Touching.”
Arthur stared at him.
“What do you want?”
“The documents.”
“They’re with police.”
“Then you’re useless.”
“No.”
Arthur raised his hands.
“I memorized the account access codes.”
Richard’s expression changed.
Maya, listening through Serena’s radio, understood Arthur was lying.
Richard hesitated.
“What codes?”
“The trust reserve accounts.”
David had explained them earlier.
Arthur knew just enough to sound convincing.
“You want forty-six million dollars? You need me alive.”
Richard smiled.
“There’s the businessman.”
Arthur took one step.
Serena whispered, “Don’t.”
Richard said, “Another step and she gets hurt.”
Arthur stopped.
Emily was shaking.
He looked at her.
“Emily.”
She met his eyes.
“Claire loved you.”
Emily started crying.
Richard looked annoyed.
Arthur continued.
“She protected you because you mattered.”
Richard snapped, “Shut up.”
Arthur didn’t.
“And none of this is your fault.”
Richard shifted his grip.
That tiny movement was enough.
Emily drove her heel down onto his foot.
Richard cursed.
Arthur lunged.
The gun went off.
Everyone screamed.
Serena tackled Richard from the side.
Arthur pulled Emily away.
Maya ran in after officers cleared the room.
Arthur held Emily against his chest.
“You’re okay.”
She was sobbing.
“Is he dead?”
Arthur looked over.
Richard was alive.
Bleeding from a wound in his shoulder.
Handcuffed.
Furious.
“No.”
Arthur exhaled.
“He’s going to answer for it.”
Richard laughed from the floor.
“You think you won?”
Arthur looked at him.
Richard smiled through the pain.
“Ask Isabella why she chose Lucas.”
Arthur froze.
“What?”
Richard’s eyes moved toward Emily.
“She had two children to choose from.”
Arthur went cold.
“Choose for what?”
Richard laughed again.
May you like
And for the first time, Isabella’s decision to hide Lucas instead of simply fleeing with the money made even less sense.
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