Chapter 6 - THE CRASH
Two security guards grabbed Victor before he reached Kessler.
Victor fought them with shocking strength. "He's lying!"
Kessler shouted back, "Then explain the brake report!"
Daniel turned to her. "What brake report?"
She looked as stunned as he felt. "I never saw one."
Kessler lowered his voice. "The police report said brake failure. The first mechanic who inspected the car wrote that the rear brake line had been cut cleanly. That sentence disappeared from the final report."
Alan Reed's expression hardened. "Do you have the original?"
"No."
"Who did?"
"His head of security back then. Nate Calder."
Daniel knew Nate. The man had taught him how to drive, how to shoot at a range, how to check a hotel room before sleeping. Nate had been around his family forever.
"Where is he?"
The videographer pointed toward the parking lot.
Nate Calder stepped out with two men Daniel didn't recognize.
That frightened Daniel more than the shouting had.
Mara whispered, "We need to leave."
"Why?"
"Because Nate was the man who carried you out of the hospital."
"You saw him?"
"I woke up for less than a minute. I saw him taking you through the door. I screamed until my stitches opened. Then a nurse sedated me."
"Daniel, your father asked me to take everyone home. This has gone far enough."
Emily stepped beside Daniel. "We're not going anywhere with you."
"You should have stayed gone."
The words landed like a threat because they were one.
Alan pulled out his phone. "I'm calling the police."
One of Nate's men quietly locked the iron gate at the end of the church drive.
"What are you doing?"
Mara grabbed Daniel's sleeve. "There is a service corridor under the church. The old rectory used to connect to the street behind it."
Daniel blinked. "How do you know that?"
Her eyes filled with something almost like a smile.
"Because this is the church where I baptized you."
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Then Nate reached inside his jacket.
And Emily screamed, "Run."
