Chapter 6 - Unit 214
“Absolutely not,” Rachel said.
Daniel picked up his coat.
“He gave me the same location that’s in Dad’s ledger.”
“That is exactly why you shouldn’t go alone.”
“I’m not taking Emma.”
Emma crossed her arms. “Good luck leaving me here after somebody photographed us through a window.”
Officer Kim arranged to have a plainclothes detective follow Daniel instead.
Briar County Storage sat forty miles west of the city behind a chain-link fence and a frozen drainage ditch.
Unit 214 was already open when Daniel arrived.
Martin stood inside.
He looked older than Daniel remembered from two months ago.
“Close the door.”
Daniel didn’t.
“Where is my mother?”
Martin’s face tightened.
“I don’t know.”
“Wrong answer.”
“I knew where she was once.”
Daniel stepped closer.
Martin raised both hands. “Your father asked me to move Laura after the crash.”
“You arranged it.”
“No.”
“My father’s letter says you did.”
Martin went still.
“What letter?”
That reaction mattered.
Daniel watched him carefully.
Martin walked to a metal cabinet and pulled out a file.
“Your mother found evidence that Mercer-Hale was paying inspectors to approve unsafe industrial sites. She wanted to go to the FBI.”
“And you wanted her dead.”
Martin’s eyes flashed. “I wanted your father to fix it before she destroyed everyone.”
“That sounds like motive.”
Martin pushed the file at him.
Inside was a hospital intake photograph.
Laura.
Alive.
Bruised. Bandaged. Looking straight at the camera.
The date was four days after her funeral.
Daniel’s knees nearly gave way.
Martin spoke quietly.
“Your father kept her alive. He also kept her locked away.”
Daniel looked up.
“Why?”
“Because Laura wasn’t the only witness.”
May you like
Martin’s eyes moved to the doorway behind Daniel.
“You were there that night too.”
