Chapter 12 - THE PRIVATE GARAGE
Emma reached the garage barefoot.
Her wedding dress was torn.
Her cheek was swelling.
Her hair was half out of its pins.
She had never felt more like herself.
Twenty yards away, Victoria’s limousine roared to life.
Julian opened the rear door.
Victoria climbed inside.
Emma shouted.
“Julian!”
He turned.
For a second, disbelief crossed his face.
Then he laughed.
“You don’t know when to quit.”
Emma walked forward.
“You taught me.”
He closed the limousine door.
“You think tonight ends me?”
“It already did.”
“You sent emails.”
“I sent evidence.”
“Evidence gets challenged.”
“Witnesses don’t.”
Julian’s smile faded.
“Rachel?”
“Rachel.”
“She’ll fold.”
“No.”
“Everyone folds.”
Emma stopped ten feet away.
“My sister didn’t.”
Julian’s face tightened.
“She died.”
The words hit Emma like a blade.
She kept moving.
“And that’s why I’m still here.”
Julian reached inside his jacket.
Emma stopped.
A gun.
Small.
Black.
Of course.
Julian pointed it at her.
Victoria opened the limousine window.
“Julian, get in the car!”
Emma stared at the weapon.
Her martial arts training meant very little now.
No amount of confidence made a firearm harmless.
She raised her hands.
“Okay.”
Julian smiled.
“There she is.”
Emma said nothing.
“The sweet little obedient girl.”
He walked closer.
“On your knees.”
Emma didn’t move.
“On your knees!”
She slowly lowered herself.
Julian’s face relaxed.
He needed submission.
Even now.
Especially now.
Emma looked behind him.
A convex security mirror reflected the garage entrance.
Blue lights.
Still distant.
Julian didn’t see them.
Emma kept him talking.
“What happened to Sarah?”
He laughed.
“You’re still doing this?”
“I want to hear it from you.”
“You already know.”
“She didn’t overdose by accident.”
Julian’s eyes hardened.
“She wouldn’t stop.”
Emma’s throat tightened.
“She was going to leave you.”
“She was going to embarrass me.”
“So you had Warren drug her.”
Julian smiled.
“No.”
Emma waited.
He stepped closer.
“My mother handled Warren.”
Victoria shouted from the car.
“JULIAN, SHUT YOUR MOUTH!”
But now the truth was pouring out.
Emma’s backup recorder wasn’t in her necklace.
Or her earring.
It was taped beneath the silk lining of her dress.
Julian continued.
“I only needed Sarah quiet.”
Emma whispered, “You locked her away.”
“She made a choice.”
“What choice?”
“To fight me.”
Emma stared at him.
“And you think I made the same mistake?”
“Yes.”
He lifted the gun.
“You did.”
Then a voice boomed through the garage.
“NYPD! DROP THE WEAPON!”
Julian spun.
Detective Ortiz stood behind a concrete pillar with two officers.
Weapons raised.
Victoria screamed from the limousine.
“DON’T SHOOT!”
Julian grabbed Emma by the hair and pulled her against him.
The gun pressed near her head.
Ortiz froze.
“Julian.”
His breathing became ragged.
“Back off!”
“Put the gun down.”
“BACK OFF!”
Emma stayed still.
She could feel his hand trembling.
Ortiz’s eyes met hers.
Julian dragged Emma toward the limousine.
“Open the door!”
Victoria stared at him.
For the first time, the powerful Victoria Cole looked afraid of her own son.
“Julian…”
“OPEN IT!”
She didn’t.
Julian’s face twisted.
“Mom?”
Victoria locked the limousine doors.
Julian stared through the glass.
“You can’t be serious.”
Victoria looked at the police.
Then at her son.
And made her choice.
She told the driver, “Go.”
The limousine sped away.
Leaving Julian alone with Emma and the police.
May you like
He watched his mother abandon him.
And the gun in his hand began to shake violently.
