Chapter 3: The Boy Behind the Storage Door
“NOAH!””
Ava screamed into the phone.
She grabbed the device from Wolf's hand.
“Noah, sweetheart, answer me!””
Nothing.
Only a faint scratching sound.
Then the call disconnected.
Ava stared at the screen.
Her brother's name disappeared.
“Call him back!””
Wolf immediately dialed the number.
It rang once.
Twice.
Then went to voicemail.
Ava began crying.
“Please. We have to go get him.””
Wolf put a hand on her shoulder.
“We're going to find him.””
Curtis suddenly reached for his phone.
Ryder caught his arm.
“Not another move.””
“Get off me!””
“Where's the storage facility?”” Wolf demanded.
Curtis looked at the floor.
“I told you. It's sold.””
“Stop lying.””
“I don't know what you want me to say!””
Wolf turned toward Mr. Miller.
“Do you have the address?””
The shopkeeper pulled a business card from beneath the counter.
“Cedar Creek Storage. It's about twenty minutes east.””
Wolf took it.
“Ryder, call the police again. Tell them we have a possible child in danger at that location. Give them the unit number.””
Ryder nodded.
“Already doing it.””
Preacher picked up the jacket.
“I'm coming.””
Wolf shook his head.
“You stay here with Ava.””
Ava immediately grabbed his vest.
“I'm coming too.””
“No, sweetheart.””
“That's my brother!””
Wolf crouched until they were eye to eye.
“I know. But if someone is inside that unit, I need to make sure you don't get caught in the middle.””
Ava wiped her cheeks.
“Then don't let him hurt Noah.””
Wolf looked at her for a long moment.
“I won't.””
Curtis laughed bitterly.
“You don't even know what you're walking into.””
Wolf stood.
“Then explain it.””
Curtis said nothing.
Preacher moved closer.
“Michael trusted you, Curtis. He gave you a home. He let you stay with his family when you lost your job. He even put your name on the emergency contact forms for his children.””
Curtis's jaw tightened.
“And you repaid him by selling his children's belongings?””
“Stay out of this.””
Preacher's voice became quieter.
“Tell us what happened that night.””
Curtis looked at him.
Then at Ava.
“Your father made his own choices.””
Ava stepped forward.
“What choices?””
Curtis shook his head.
“You wouldn't understand.””
“Try me!””
“You think your father was perfect? You think he never made mistakes?””
Ava's hands trembled.
“He was a better father than you'll ever be.””
Curtis stared at her.
For a second, something ugly crossed his face.
Then he looked away.
Wolf walked toward the door.
“Keep him here until the police arrive.””
Ryder nodded.
“Got it.””
The six bikers moved outside.
Within minutes, engines roared to life.
Wolf climbed onto his black motorcycle, but before pulling away, he looked back at the pawn shop window.
Ava stood behind the glass, clutching her father's jacket.
He gave her a small nod.
Then the bikes disappeared down the street.
Cedar Creek Storage sat behind a row of abandoned warehouses.
The property was surrounded by a tall chain-link fence topped with razor wire.
A faded sign hung above the entrance.
The security office was dark.
Wolf pulled up near the gate.
Ryder parked beside him.
“Place looks closed.””
Wolf examined the keypad.
“Doesn't mean nobody's inside.””
Preacher arrived in a pickup truck a few minutes later.
He had insisted on following them.
“I found something in Michael's old records,” he said as he stepped out.
He held a small envelope.
Wolf frowned.
“What?””
Preacher opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Michael stood beside a younger woman with dark hair and a wide smile. A little girl sat on his shoulders.
Ava.
And standing beside them was a boy in a blue dinosaur shirt.
Noah.
On the back, Michael had written:
My whole world. Whatever happens, keep them safe.
Preacher looked toward Unit 214.
“Michael came here the week before he died.””
Wolf took the photograph.
“Why?””
“I don't know. But I remember something he told me.””
“What?””
Preacher lowered his voice.
“He said he had found Sarah.””
Wolf stared at him.
“Sarah was supposed to be gone.””
“That's what Michael told everyone. But he said she wasn't missing. She was hiding.””
“From whom?””
Preacher looked toward the storage units.
“Curtis.””
A metallic clanging sound came from somewhere behind the building.
All three men turned.
Wolf pulled out his phone.
“Police are on their way.””
Then he heard it.
A faint voice.
“Help!””
Wolf ran.
The others followed.
They reached the corridor marked 200–220.
Unit 214 stood at the far end.
Its metal door was closed.
A small blue backpack sat on the ground outside.
A dinosaur keychain dangled from its zipper.
Wolf stopped.
“That's Noah's.””
Preacher rushed forward.
“NOAH!””
A tiny voice answered from inside.
“I'm here!””
Wolf grabbed the door handle.
Locked.
He tried the brass key from Michael's jacket.
It slid into the lock.
Turned.
But the door didn't move.
Something was blocking it from inside.
“Back up!”” Wolf shouted.
Ryder and Preacher moved aside.
Wolf drove his shoulder into the metal door.
Once.
Twice.
On the third attempt, the door shifted several inches.
A heavy wooden cabinet had been pushed against it.
Wolf shoved again.
The cabinet toppled.
The door swung open.
Inside, the unit was packed with old furniture, boxes, tools, and covered equipment.
A small boy was crouched behind a stack of plastic containers.
His cheeks were wet.
His shirt was dirty.
But he was alive.
“Ava?”” he whispered.
Wolf knelt.
“I'm Wolf. Your sister sent me.””
Noah stared at him.
“Are you a bad guy?””
Wolf's face softened.
“No, son. I'm one of the good ones.””
Noah slowly crawled forward.
“Did you bring Ava?””
“She's safe. She's waiting for you.””
The boy suddenly threw himself into Wolf's arms.
“I want my sister.””
“I know.””
Wolf lifted him carefully.
Then Preacher noticed something on the floor.
A woman's handbag.
It was old, beige, and covered in dust.
He picked it up.
“Wolf…”
Inside was a driver's license.
The photograph showed a woman with dark hair and familiar eyes.
*SARAH BENNETT.*
The expiration date was three years old.
Noah looked at it.
“That's Mom's bag.””
Wolf crouched again.
“Where did you find this?””
Noah pointed toward the back of the unit.
“Behind those boxes.””
“What else did you find?””
The boy hesitated.
Then he pointed to a large wooden cabinet.
“Mom's inside.””
Wolf froze.
“What do you mean?””
Noah's lower lip trembled.
“She told me to hide when Uncle Curtis came.””
Preacher slowly approached the cabinet.
It was old oak, with a brass handle and a small keyhole.
Wolf looked at Noah.
“Is your mom in there?””
Noah nodded.
“She was sleeping.””
Wolf pulled the handle.
It didn't move.
He tried again.
Locked.
“Ryder, find something to open this.””
Ryder grabbed a metal tool from the nearby workbench.
Before he could use it, a sound came from behind the cabinet.
Three soft knocks.
Everyone went still.
Then a woman's voice whispered:
“Noah?””
The boy began crying.
“Mom!””
Wolf stepped backward.
Preacher covered his mouth.
The voice came again.
“Baby, is that you?””
Noah struggled out of Wolf's arms.
“It's Mom! She's alive!””
Wolf moved toward the cabinet.
“Sarah, we're here to help. Can you hear me?””
A weak voice answered.
“Who are you?””
“My name is Wolf. I knew Michael.””
Silence.
Then the woman whispered something that made Preacher's face turn pale.
“Michael sent you?””
Wolf swallowed.
“No. His daughter did.””
There was another pause.
Then Sarah spoke.
“Where is Curtis?””
Wolf looked toward the open storage unit.
“He's at the pawn shop.””
A terrified sound came from inside the cabinet.
“No…”
“Sarah, what is it?””
“He can't know I'm alive.””
Wolf glanced at the others.
“Why?””
The woman's voice broke.
“Because he didn't kill Michael by accident.””
Preacher stepped closer.
“What happened that night?””
Sarah began sobbing.
“He came to the house after Michael found the documents. He wanted the money. Michael refused to give it to him.””
Wolf's jaw tightened.
“What documents?””
“Proof that Curtis had been stealing from Michael's business for years.””
A sudden thud came from inside the cabinet.
Then Sarah whispered:
“He told me he would make sure both children disappeared if I ever spoke.””
Wolf felt a chill run down his spine.
“Where are the documents now?””
Sarah took a shaky breath.
“Michael hid them somewhere Curtis would never think to look.””
“Where?””
Her answer was barely audible.
“Inside the jacket.””
Wolf looked down at the old black leather in his hands.
The jacket Ava had begged her uncle not to sell.
The jacket Curtis had tried so desperately to take.
And suddenly, the note inside its hidden pocket made sense.
If anything happens to me, Curtis knows why.
But before Wolf could ask another question, Ryder's phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“Wolf.””
“What?””
“The police are outside the facility.””
“Good. Tell them to come in.””
Ryder swallowed.
“There's something else.””
“What?””
“Curtis isn't at the pawn shop anymore.””
Wolf stared at him.
“Where is he?””
Ryder looked toward the entrance.
“According to the shop owner, he left five minutes ago.””
Ava's uncle was gone.
And he knew exactly where they were.
Then Wolf heard Sarah whisper from inside the cabinet:
“Please hurry.””
“Why?””
“Because Curtis has a key to this unit, too.””
A second later, headlights appeared beyond the storage facility gate.
A black pickup truck rolled slowly toward them.
Preacher looked at the vehicle.
Then at Wolf.
“Tell me that's not him.””
Wolf tightened his grip on the jacket.
The truck stopped.
The driver's door opened.
And Curtis stepped out holding something metallic in his right hand.
May you like
Ava's father had left them a key.
Curtis had brought a gun.
