Chapter 17 - Daniel’s Brother
Daniel replayed the video.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Luke’s face never changed.
“When do we get rid of my brother?”
Caldwell leaned back in his chair.
“After Hayes finishes the transfer.”
Daniel shut the laptop.
Hard.
Ethan flinched.
Daniel walked away.
Michael followed him into the church hallway.
“Daniel.”
“Don’t.”
“You didn’t know.”
“I said don’t.”
Michael stopped.
Daniel pressed both hands against the wall.
Memories came back.
Luke borrowing money.
Luke asking about work.
Luke joking that Daniel always got to be the hero.
Luke dying in what police called a robbery.
Daniel had paid for the funeral.
Carried the casket.
Blamed himself for not being around.
Now he understood.
Luke had been inside the network.
Michael spoke quietly.
“Maybe he changed his mind.”
Daniel turned.
“You heard him.”
“I also know Caldwell had him killed.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
Michael pulled up another file.
A payment.
Date: two days before Luke’s death.
Recipient: BRENNER.
Daniel looked at the officer.
Brenner’s face went gray.
“No.”
Daniel crossed the room and slammed him into the wall.
“You killed my brother?”
“No!”
Daniel’s forearm pressed against his throat.
“Daniel!”
Michael grabbed him.
Brenner gasped.
“I was paid to scare him!”
Daniel stared.
“Then who killed him?”
“I don’t know.”
“Wrong answer.”
“I DON’T KNOW!”
Ethan shouted:
“Stop!”
Daniel froze.
The boy stood across the room.
Terrified.
Not of Brenner.
Of Daniel.
Daniel slowly released him.
Brenner collapsed against the wall.
Ethan’s voice shook.
“You said you weren’t bad.”
Daniel looked at his hands.
“I said sometimes I was.”
Ethan stared at him.
Daniel felt ashamed.
Then Brenner coughed.
“There’s another file.”
Michael turned.
“What?”
“Luke recorded Caldwell before he died.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Where?”
Brenner pointed to Ethan’s key.
“In the vault.”
Silence.
Then the church’s front windows shattered.
A voice boomed from outside.
“Daniel Hayes!”
Everyone ducked.
Shaw.
“We have Rachel!”
Daniel looked toward the door.
Shaw continued:
“And you have ten seconds to send Ethan outside.”
Ethan’s face went white.
Daniel stood.
Michael grabbed him.
“What are you doing?”
Daniel looked at the front door.
“Ending this.”
Then he whispered:
“But not the way Shaw thinks.”
The next chapters are on the left side of your screen.
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