Chapter 13 - THE FERRY TERMINAL
At 11:57 p.m., Hannah walked into the abandoned ferry terminal wearing a wire beneath a borrowed sweater.
Every step pulled at her stitches.
Detective Chen had wanted to send an officer in her place.
Dominic had wanted to burn the building down before Bradley could arrive.
Hannah had ignored both suggestions.
This was her daughter.
She would be the one Bradley saw.
The terminal smelled of salt, rust, and old diesel.
A single work light burned near the water.
Bradley stepped from behind a concrete pillar.
He looked tired, sunburned, and furious.
No baby.
“Where is Lily?” Hannah demanded.
“Papers first.”
“Baby first.”
He smiled. “Still trying to negotiate.”
“Still trying to pretend you’re not a kidnapper.”
His smile disappeared.
“You have no idea what I did for you.”
Hannah laughed in his face.
“You married me for money.”
“I married you because Victor said you were the easiest route to the Mercer trust. I stayed because I liked the life.”
The words hurt less than she expected.
Maybe because the marriage had already died in the operating room.
“Where is Lily?”
Bradley held out his hand. “Sign.”
Hannah pulled the papers from her bag.
Then a second voice came from the dark.
“Don’t.”
Her father stepped into the light.
Vincent Mercer looked older than the photograph. Gray beard. Thin face. A bruise along his jaw.
Hannah forgot to breathe.
“Dad?”
His eyes filled.
“I’m sorry, Hannah-bug.”
Bradley pulled a gun.
Everything changed.
“Both of you,” he snapped. “On your knees.”
Hannah stared at him. “You said Lily was here.”
Bradley’s mouth twisted.
“I said you’d get her back.”
“Where is she?”
“Ask Dominic.”
Then a shot cracked from the far end of the terminal.
Bradley jerked.
But he had not been hit.
The bullet struck the light above him.
Darkness swallowed the room.
May you like
And Victor Russo’s voice echoed from the shadows.
“Bradley, you were always terrible at following instructions.”
