Chapter 17 - The Last Switch
Pike ran through the narrow concrete passage, splashing through black water, a small transmitter gripped in his fist. He had spent years buying signatures and silencing engineers. A frightened mother wasn't supposed to beat him.
Two officers entered from the mill. A third approached from the rail bridge. Pike stopped beside a power cabinet, trapped between their lights.
"Put the device down," the nearest officer ordered.
"You have no idea how much money is on the line."
"I said put it down."
Pike raised his hand. His thumb hovered over the button.
At the county control room, Nadia saw the pump's status light flicker. "The remote is active," she said. "Kill its main supply now."
A crew member threw the disconnect at the rail bridge. The pump died with a groan. In the tunnel Pike pressed the switch twice, his face twisting when nothing happened.
The officers pulled him away from the cabinet and placed him under arrest.
Ortiz passed the news to Claire at 11:42.
"It's over?" Claire asked.
"The immediate danger is contained. The water's dropping. Pike is in custody. Vanessa's car was found near the mill, but she's gone on foot."
Claire stared at Emma. She wanted to believe safety meant never hearing her sister's voice again, never scanning windows or doors. She already knew it wouldn't be that simple.
A nurse offered a clean bottle. Claire took it, warmed it between her palms, and fed her daughter slowly. Emma swallowed, paused, and reached blindly toward Claire's shirt.
Then Theo approached with his phone.
May you like
"The escrow agent confirmed the deadline," he said. "At eleven fifty-nine the agreement expires. But Vanessa just sent an email to every party."
Its subject line read: THE SIGNATURE YOU WANT IS ALREADY YOURS.
