Chapter 10: The Man Who Came Back From the Dead
"Marcus! GET DOWN!""
The voice came from somewhere beyond the storage shelves.
Marcus dropped behind the office desk just as another gunshot shattered a fluorescent light overhead.
Glass rained onto the concrete.
Daniel pulled Ethan down beside him.
"Everybody stay low!""
Travis was frozen near the filing cabinet, his hands raised.
"Richard!"" he shouted.
"Stop! We're not trying to hurt you!""
A man's voice answered from the darkness.
"Then put the book down!""
Marcus looked toward the office doorway.
Deputy Carl Benson stood near the entrance, his pistol raised.
Richard Voss was behind him.
The third man was moving along the shelves, searching for whoever had fired the first shot.
Then a figure stepped into the light.
He was tall, thin, and wore a weathered leather jacket. His gray hair fell over his ears, and a thick scar crossed his left cheek.
His right hand held a revolver.
His eyes were fixed on Marcus.
"You're James Reed's boy?""
Marcus didn't move.
"Who are you?""
The stranger lowered the gun slightly.
"Samuel Brooks.""
Marcus stared at him.
The dead brother.
The missing partner.
The man whose name had appeared in Robert's final letter.
Samuel glanced toward the office.
"Do you have the red book?""
Marcus slowly reached inside his jacket.
"Maybe.""
Samuel nodded.
"Then we need to leave. Now.""
Deputy Benson stepped forward.
"Nobody's going anywhere.""
Samuel turned his revolver toward him.
"Put the gun down, Carl.""
The deputy laughed.
"You're a wanted man, Samuel.""
"Not by anyone with an honest badge.""
Richard emerged from behind the shelves.
His face was flushed.
"Enough of this.""
He pointed toward Marcus.
"Give me the ledger.""
Marcus shook his head.
"Why? What's in it?""
Richard's expression changed.
"You're too young to understand.""
"Try me.""
Richard stepped closer.
"That book contains private financial records. Nothing more.""
Samuel laughed.
"Still lying after all these years, Richard?""
Richard looked at him.
"You should have stayed dead.""
Samuel's face hardened.
"I tried.""
The words seemed to surprise even Richard.
For a moment, neither man spoke.
Then Samuel looked at Marcus.
"Your father died protecting you.""
Marcus swallowed.
"James?""
Samuel nodded.
"Yes. James Reed was the best man I ever knew.""
Richard laughed.
"Don't start pretending you were innocent, Samuel.""
Samuel looked at the floor.
"I'm not.""
Deputy Benson shifted his weight.
"Richard, let's finish this.""
Samuel immediately raised his gun.
"Don't move, Carl.""
The deputy froze.
Daniel seized the moment.
He lunged toward the office door, grabbed a metal filing cabinet, and tipped it onto its side.
The crash echoed through the warehouse.
Ethan pulled Travis behind the desk.
Marcus grabbed the ledger.
Samuel fired one shot into a metal shelf.
The sound sent everyone scrambling.
"BACK EXIT!"" Samuel shouted.
Daniel pushed open the office's rear door.
Marcus followed with Ethan and Travis.
They ran through a narrow corridor filled with old motorcycle frames.
Behind them, Richard screamed.
"Don't let them leave!""
They reached the loading bay.
Samuel was the last one out.
He slammed the metal door shut and dropped a heavy chain across the handles.
A bullet struck the door.
Then another.
Samuel pointed toward a dark pickup truck parked near the fence.
"Get in!""
Marcus hesitated.
"Why should I trust you?""
Samuel looked him directly in the eyes.
"Because I knew your mother before you were born.""
Marcus went still.
Samuel continued.
"And because I watched James Reed hold you in his arms the day he decided to become your father.""
There was no time to ask anything else.
They climbed into the truck.
Samuel started the engine.
The vehicle roared away just as the warehouse door began shaking.
For several minutes, nobody spoke.
Travis sat in the back seat, breathing heavily.
Daniel kept looking through the rear window.
Ethan clutched the red ledger.
Marcus stared at Samuel.
The man's hands were scarred.
His left wrist carried an old leather bracelet with a tiny brass charm.
A snake wrapped around a stone.
The same symbol Richard used.
Marcus noticed it.
"Why are you wearing that?""
Samuel looked down.
"Because I used to work for Richard.""
"You helped him?""
Samuel nodded.
"Yes.""
"Did you help him kill Robert?""
Samuel's hands tightened around the steering wheel.
"No.""
"Did you help him sabotage the truck?""
Samuel didn't answer immediately.
Then he said something that made Marcus's stomach turn.
"I was the one who found Robert after the crash.""
Marcus stared at him.
"And you left him there?""
Samuel's jaw tightened.
"No. I pulled him out.""
"Then why didn't you tell the police?""
"Because when I reached him, he was already dying. And Richard was standing behind me with a gun.""
Samuel glanced at Marcus.
"Robert gave me something before he died. He made me promise to protect Helen and keep the original agreement safe.""
"What did he give you?""
Samuel reached into his jacket.
He pulled out a small brass key.
Marcus looked at it.
It was almost identical to the key found in Robert's wooden box.
"What's that for?""
Samuel looked ahead.
"The place where your father hid the truth.""
Marcus leaned forward.
"James?""
Samuel nodded.
"James Reed came to the bridge that night. He took the original agreement from Robert before Richard could get it.""
"Then why was his name on the shipping receipt?""
"Because he moved it.""
"Where?""
Samuel slowed as they approached a narrow road lined with pine trees.
"To the place where he raised you.""
Marcus frowned.
"My childhood home?""
Samuel nodded.
"There's a room beneath the garage.""
Marcus felt his pulse quicken.
"James never told me about a room.""
"He didn't want you to find it until you were old enough to understand.""
The truck turned onto a dirt road.
Samuel glanced into the rearview mirror.
"There's one more thing you need to know.""
"What?""
"Richard didn't come to the warehouse for the ledger.""
May you like
Samuel looked at Marcus.
"He came for you.""
