Chapter 8 - Samuel Pike
Samuel Pike looked nothing like his obituary photograph.
Thinner.
Gray beard.
A burn scar across his neck.
But the eyes were the same.
Adrian moved in front of Nora.
Pike smiled.
"Still playing hero?"
"Where's Evelyn?" Nora asked.
"Safe, if you cooperate."
"Where's my father?"
The smile disappeared.
"Always the wrong question."
Pike wanted the brass key.
Nora closed her fist around it.
"What does it open?"
"Something Daniel stole from people more dangerous than Vincent Vale."
Adrian laughed once.
"You mean evidence of your crimes."
Pike's gun shifted toward him.
"You burned the manor for a drive that isn't there," Adrian said.
Pike's eyes narrowed.
That was confirmation.
Dominic moved from the hallway.
Pike fired.
The bullet struck the wall.
Nora dropped behind the island.
Adrian slammed into Pike before he could fire again.
The two men hit the floor.
Dominic kicked the gun away.
Pike pulled a knife.
Nora grabbed a cast-iron pan and brought it down on his wrist.
The knife clattered away.
Dominic pinned him.
Police arrived minutes later.
Pike said nothing until detectives mentioned Evelyn.
Then he smiled.
"You think I took her?"
Nora stepped closer.
"Didn't you?"
"Evelyn came to me."
Nora froze.
Pike continued.
"She offered the key in exchange for Daniel's location."
"She doesn't have the key."
"No. But she knew you did."
Detectives found a burner phone in Pike's pocket.
The last outgoing call had gone to a number registered under a dead man's identity.
Michael Crane.
Nora's father.
The call lasted seven minutes.
Nora stared through the interrogation glass at Pike.
"What did they talk about?"
Dominic looked at the call log.
"Whatever it was, your father called Evelyn immediately afterward."
May you like
Adrian's face darkened.
"And now both of them are missing."
