Chapter 11: The Second Betrayal
Samuel walked into the warehouse as if he owned it.
The men behind him spread out, blocking both exits.
Raymond still held his pistol, but his hand was shaking.
"Samuel, what are you doing?""
Samuel removed his coat.
"Cleaning up your mess.""
Victor pushed himself upright.
"You were supposed to bring the boy.""
Samuel glanced toward Denise.
"Where is Jordan?""
Darius stepped in front of her.
"You're not touching him.""
Samuel laughed.
"Still pretending to be a father, Darius?""
Darius's jaw tightened.
"He's my son.""
"He's a financial asset. Nothing more.""
Those words changed something in Darius's face.
He looked down at Jordan, then back at Samuel.
"You're not taking him.""
Samuel motioned to one of his men.
The man started toward Denise.
I grabbed a metal chair and threw it across the floor.
It crashed into the man's legs.
He stumbled.
Darius rushed forward, tackling another man before he could raise his weapon.
"GET THEM OUT!"" he shouted.
Denise ran toward the side corridor with Jordan.
I followed her, but Samuel stepped into my path.
He struck me across the face.
I fell against the table.
"Your father should have raised you better," he said.
I pushed myself upright.
"He tried. You just kept murdering everyone around him.""
Samuel's expression hardened.
"Your father was weak.""
He grabbed my jacket and pulled me closer.
"Raymond wanted to give everything away. He wanted to confess. He wanted to walk into a police station and destroy the only thing our family had built.""
"You mean your criminal empire?""
Samuel slapped me.
"Watch your mouth.""
I stared at him.
"Did you kill my father?""
He smiled.
"Your father was already dying when I got there.""
"Did you shoot him?""
Samuel's smile disappeared.
"I gave him an opportunity to stand with his family. He chose you boys instead.""
I understood.
"You shot him.""
Samuel leaned closer.
"Your father begged me to spare you.""
I drove my shoulder into his chest.
He stumbled backward.
Darius appeared and pulled me away.
"Move!""
We ran toward the side corridor.
Behind us, gunshots echoed through the warehouse.
Denise was crouched beside a delivery truck, holding Jordan.
Renee suddenly emerged from behind the vehicle.
I froze.
"Renee?""
She was holding a small handgun.
Her hands were shaking.
"Where's Trey?""
"With your mother.""
"Is he safe?""
I nodded.
She looked toward the warehouse.
"Then we need to get Jordan out.""
Darius approached us, blood running from a cut above his eyebrow.
"There's a service road behind the building.""
Renee looked at him.
"How did Samuel find us?""
Darius didn't answer.
I stepped toward him.
"Tell her.""
He lowered his eyes.
"I sent the location.""
Renee stared.
"What?""
Darius swallowed.
"I told Victor where we were.""
She raised the gun.
"YOU LED THEM HERE?""
Darius held up his hands.
"I had no choice.""
"You always have a choice!""
He looked at Jordan.
"Samuel threatened to kill him. He said if I didn't bring him here, Victor would make sure the boy never left Atlanta.""
Renee's eyes filled with tears.
"So you gave him the baby?""
"No. I brought him here because I knew Malik had already arranged a way to expose them.""
I frowned.
"What arrangement?""
Darius pulled out a small flash drive.
"Malik knew Samuel would eventually come for the trust documents. He left a copy of everything with a lawyer.""
"Who?""
Darius looked toward the road.
"Judge Elaine Brooks.""
I recognized the name.
She had been our mother's attorney years earlier.
"Where is she?""
"At the courthouse. She has the original trust documents and the recording that proves Samuel ordered your father's murder.""
I looked toward the warehouse.
"Then why are we still standing here?""
Darius shook his head.
"Because the recording isn't enough. We need the second half.""
I remembered the microSD card Trey had been carrying.
"The card.""
Darius nodded.
"Exactly.""
Suddenly, a voice came from behind us.
"Looking for this?""
Samuel stood at the end of the service road.
He held the small envelope that Trey had been given.
My stomach dropped.
"Where's my nephew?""
Samuel smiled.
"Safe. For now.""
I stepped forward.
"Give me that.""
Samuel opened the envelope.
Inside was a photograph of Trey standing beside my mother.
He held it up.
"Your mother has always been sentimental. She should have known better than to trust a child with something this important.""
Then he pulled out a second photograph.
It showed Judge Elaine Brooks entering a parking garage.
Across the bottom was a handwritten message.
*SHE NEVER MADE IT HOME.*
Renee covered her mouth.
Darius lowered his head.
I looked at Samuel.
"What did you do?""
Samuel smiled.
"Nothing your family hasn't done to itself.""
He reached inside his coat and removed a phone.
He pressed a button.
A video appeared.
Trey was sitting in a dark room.
His hands were tied.
He looked directly into the camera.
"Uncle Andre?""
My heart stopped.
Samuel held the phone closer.
"Your nephew wants to speak to you.""
Trey swallowed.
"Uncle Andre, don't give him the key.""
Then someone behind the camera grabbed his shoulder.
Trey screamed.
The video ended.
I lunged toward Samuel.
But he stepped backward, surrounded by his men.
"Bring me the second recording," he said, "and I'll tell you where the boy is.""
May you like
Then he added something that made my blood turn cold.
"Bring it before midnight, or you'll lose the last Carter child.""
