Chapter 6: The Man in the Photograph
They searched every locker.
Nothing.
Then Emily noticed that number 17 sat directly opposite a security camera that had been disconnected for years.
She looked at the photo again.
Samuel Pike stood beside Daniel.
Behind them was a wall.
On the wall was a sign.
*SERVICE ENTRANCE B.*
Emily held the photograph next to the hallway.
The old storage facility had once been part of a warehouse complex.
Service Entrance B still existed.
A hidden panel beside it opened with the small key.
Inside was a metal case.
Razor swore softly.
“Ghost.””
Emily lifted the case.
A digital recorder.
Documents.
And a ledger.
This time, nobody laughed.
Razor opened it.
Names.
Dates.
Payments.
Amounts.
Addresses.
Emily scanned the pages.
“What is this?””
Caruso stared.
“Bribes.””
“Who paid them?””
“People who didn't want the club asking questions.””
She looked closer.
Several entries had the same initials.
*S.P.*
Samuel Pike.
Bishop sat down heavily.
Razor looked at him.
“You were right.””
Emily looked at both men.
“About what?””
Razor answered.
“Samuel never died.””
“Then where is he?””
A voice came from behind them.
“Closer than you think.””
Everyone spun.
Bishop reached for his gun.
The warehouse door opened.
A man stepped inside.
Older.
Thin.
Gray hair.
He wore a baseball cap.
Emily had seen him before.
In the photograph.
Her father’s former brother.
Samuel Pike.
Caruso whispered, “Jesus.””
Samuel raised his hands.
“I don't want a fight.””
Razor aimed at him.
“You've got five seconds.””
Samuel looked at Emily.
“I came because your father asked me to.””
Emily stepped forward.
“He’s dead.””
Samuel nodded.
“I know.””
“Then why are you here?””
“To finish what he started.””
Razor did not lower his weapon.
“Why did you disappear?””
“Because Victor wanted me dead too.””
Emily stared.
“You betrayed them?””
Samuel shook his head.
“I betrayed Victor.””
“But the ledger has your initials.””
“Yes.””
“Then explain.””
Samuel sighed.
“I was the money handler.””
“What does that mean?””
“Every illegal payment made through the network passed through me.””
Emily’s expression hardened.
“So you were part of it.””
“Before I knew what they were doing.””
“And then?””
“I started keeping copies.””
He pointed to the ledger.
“Your father discovered the operation.””
Samuel looked at the others.
“He wanted to expose them.””
“What stopped him?””
Samuel looked directly at Emily.
“Someone inside the Nine.””
Emily’s voice went quiet.
“Who?””
Samuel shook his head.
“I don't know.””
Razor took a step forward.
“Stop lying.””
“I’m not.””
Samuel’s eyes flashed.
“Daniel trusted me enough to save this evidence.””
He reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small photograph.
“Look.””
Emily took it.
It showed Daniel outside Rosie’s Diner.
A familiar car sat behind him.
The black SUV.
Emily’s breath caught.
“When was this?””
“Two nights before he died.””
Samuel pointed.
“Look inside the windshield.””
Emily squinted.
A face.
Barely visible.
She recognized it.
Caruso.
She looked up.
Caruso went pale.
“That isn't possible.””
“You were there,” Samuel said.
“I was dropping off Daniel.””
“Why?””
Caruso hesitated.
“I don't remember.””
Emily stared at him.
“You don't remember?””
Caruso looked devastated.
“I remember seeing the SUV.””
“But you didn't tell us.””
“I was threatened.””
“By whom?””
Caruso looked around the room.
“No.””
Emily stepped closer.
“By whom?””
He whispered:
“Bishop.””
Razor turned.
“What?””
Bishop's face hardened.
“Caruso, shut up.””
Emily froze.
Bishop continued.
“You have no idea what you're doing.””
Samuel backed away.
“There.””
He pointed to Bishop.
“That’s why Daniel wrote ‘trust no brother.’”
Razor turned his gun toward Bishop.
Bishop stared at him.
“Don't.””
“You threatened Caruso?””
“I told him to stay quiet.””
“About what?””
Bishop's expression twisted.
“The truth.””
Emily stepped back.
“What truth?””
Bishop looked at her.
“Your father wasn't killed because of the ledger.””
“Then why?””
“Because he was about to expose who financed everything.””
Emily shook her head.
“Who?””
Bishop said nothing.
Then all the lights went out.
A gunshot cracked through the building.
Samuel fell.
Emily screamed.
Razor tackled her to the ground.
Another shot.
Then a motorcycle engine roared outside.
By the time the lights came back, Samuel Pike was gone.
His photograph remained on the floor.
And across the concrete wall, written in fresh red paint, were three words:
*ASK THE WIDOW.*
Emily stared.
“Whose widow?””
Caruso looked at her.
“Your father’s.””
Emily shook her head.
“My dad never remarried.””
Caruso looked terrified.
“That isn't what it means.””
“Then what does it mean?””
He whispered:
“The widow of one of the Nine.””
Razor looked at Bishop.
Bishop was already reaching for his phone.
“You can't do that.””
Razor grabbed his wrist.
“Call who?””
Bishop stared at him.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
The voice on the other end was unmistakably Victor’s.
“Midnight is coming.””
Bishop said nothing.
Victor continued.
“Bring the girl.””
The call ended.
Emily looked at Razor.
He shook his head.
“No.””
Then Caruso pointed at the jacket.
“Wait.””
Emily turned it over.
Inside the collar, beneath a loose thread, was a tiny handwritten word.
One word.
*MERCY.*
Caruso looked at Razor.
“There’s only one widow Ghost ever trusted.””
Emily asked, “Who?””
Caruso swallowed.
“Maria Pike.””
Emily stared.
“Samuel’s wife?””
Caruso nodded.
“But Samuel is supposed to be dead.””
“Not his wife.””
“And where is she?””
Caruso looked toward the dark road.
“Twenty miles south.””
“Then we're going.””
Razor sighed.
“We are.””
May you like
He looked at Emily.
“But nobody rides alone tonight.””
