Chapter 5
Grant made it three steps toward the truck before police blocked him.
He spun around, dragging Mom with him.
“Back off!”
His voice carried across the lot.
Every officer stopped.
I couldn’t.
The cop in front of me grabbed my shoulder.
“Stay here.”
Mom’s eyes were locked on mine.
Her face said everything.
Don’t move.
Grant pressed the gun tighter against her.
“You think this is over?” he shouted.
Brooks stepped forward with both hands visible.
“Grant, let Sarah go.”
“You bring me that drive.”
“We can talk.”
“No.”
His eyes found me again.
“The boy.”
My stomach turned.
“He brings it.”
Mom immediately shouted.
“No!”
Grant jerked her backward.
“Quiet.”
Brooks glanced at me.
I knew what she was thinking.
No chance.
Then Grant yelled, “One minute!”
I looked at the fake drive.
“I can do it.”
Brooks didn’t even turn.
“No.”
“He wants this.”
“He wants control.”
“Then let him think he has it.”
Mom shook her head wildly.
I stepped around the officer.
“Caleb!”
I raised the drive above my head.
Grant focused on it.
“I have it.”
He smiled.
“Come here.”
Brooks grabbed my arm.
I whispered, “If he keeps watching me, he stops watching her.”
She stared at me.
Then at Mom.
Something passed between the two women.
Brooks slowly released me.
“Ten feet.”
“What?”
“You go ten feet. No more.”
I nodded.
I walked forward.
Grant shouted, “Closer.”
I stopped.
“Let her go first.”
“You’re not making deals.”
“Then you don’t get this.”
I held up the drive.
His eyes narrowed.
“You really are your mother’s son.”
Mom stared at me.
Tears ran down her face.
“Caleb, please.”
I kept my eyes on Grant.
“You want this because it proves what you did.”
“I want it because it belongs to me.”
“No. Daniel collected it.”
His face hardened at my uncle’s name.
“You know what your problem is?”
“What?”
“You think your family was innocent.”
I almost reacted.
Then Brooks’s voice came faintly through the earpiece I had put back in.
Keep him talking.
“What does that mean?”
Grant laughed.
“Ask your mother.”
Mom closed her eyes.
My stomach twisted.
“What is he talking about?”
“Nothing.”
“Sarah.”
Grant smiled beside her.
“Tell him.”
“Shut up.”
That was the first time I had ever heard Mom say those words with hatred.
Grant seemed pleased.
“Your uncle wasn’t the only person stealing.”
I looked at Mom.
She shook her head.
“He’s lying.”
“Am I?”
Grant shouted toward me.
“Your mother knew about the money.”
My chest tightened.
“No.”
“She knew Daniel was hiding company funds.”
Mom shouted.
“Emergency money for employees you refused to pay!”
Grant’s expression changed.
There it was.
Truth.
Not the truth he wanted.
But something.
Mom continued.
“Daniel set money aside because Grant was emptying payroll accounts.”
Grant dragged her tighter.
“Careful.”
“You want to tell Caleb the truth? Fine.”
Mom’s voice became stronger.
“His uncle was trying to keep eighty-seven workers from losing their wages.”
I looked at Grant.
“He called that stealing because Daniel moved the money before Grant could take it.”
Grant’s face twisted.
“Daniel thought he was smarter than me.”
“You killed him.”
Mom said it.
Loud.
Clear.
Grant stared at her.
I stopped breathing.
Then he whispered, “He should have stayed quiet.”
Every officer heard it.
Brooks heard it.
The recording devices heard it.
Mom did too.
She looked toward Brooks.
Grant realized his mistake.
His face changed instantly.
He shoved Mom away.
Then raised the gun.
Everything happened at once.
Mom stumbled.
Police shouted.
I heard two shots.
Grant dropped.
The gun skidded across the pavement.
Mom hit the ground.
I ran.
This time nobody stopped me.
“Mom!”
She pushed herself up.
I fell to my knees beside her.
Her hands grabbed my face.
“Are you hurt?”
I almost laughed.
She had blood on her forehead.
Her wrists were bruised.
And she was asking about me.
“I’m fine.”
She pulled me against her.
I hadn’t hugged my mother like that since I was a child.
I buried my face against her shoulder.
For a few seconds, I forgot police.
Grant.
Daniel.
Everything.
Then Mom whispered, “I’m sorry.”
I pulled back.
“For what?”
“For the house.”
My throat tightened.
“For telling you to leave.”
“You saved me.”
“I saw your face.”
Her voice broke.
“You thought I chose him.”
“I did.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“I hated doing that to you.”
I shook my head.
“You did what you had to do.”
Brooks approached.
“Sarah.”
Mom looked at Grant.
Paramedics were working on him.
“Is he alive?”
“Yes.”
She exhaled.
I knew why.
A dead Grant could never stand in court.
A living Grant could.
Brooks crouched.
“We got everything he said.”
Mom’s eyes closed.
“Good.”
“But there’s something you both need to know.”
My relief disappeared.
“What?”
Brooks looked toward Grant.
“He wasn’t working alone.”
Mom went pale.
I felt it immediately.
“You know who she means.”
Mom didn’t answer.
“Mom?”
She looked at me.
“There was someone else.”
“Who?”
Her eyes filled again.
“Someone in our family.”
That hurt differently.
“Who?”
Before Mom could answer, a paramedic called for Brooks.
Grant was being loaded onto a stretcher.
As they lifted him, he turned his head toward us.
His eyes found Mom.
Then me.
Even with an oxygen mask over his face, I saw him smile.
My phone buzzed.
I looked down.
Unknown number.
One message.
Grant getting arrested changes nothing.
Mom saw the screen.
Her face drained of color.
Brooks read it.
Then another message appeared.
Daniel made one copy too many.
And Sarah knows exactly who has it.
I looked at Mom.
“Who are they talking about?”
Mom lowered her head.
May you like
Then she whispered a name I had not heard in eight years.
“Your father.”
