Chapter 4 - The Sheriff’s Ring
Mara saw the ring one second after Adrian did.
Her hand moved casually toward the inside of her jacket.
Adrian shook his head once.
Not yet.
Sheriff Pike spread his hands.
“Let’s all calm down.”
Emily almost laughed.
“You walked into the house where I was attacked and your first move was to free him.”
Pike’s gaze sharpened.
“Do you have evidence he attacked you?”
Emily looked toward the broken phone.
Mason looked too.
There it was again.
That tiny flash of fear.
Adrian caught it.
“We have video,” he said.
Pike’s expression did not change.
But his thumb rubbed the black ring.
“Where?”
“Somewhere you’re not getting near.”
The sheriff smiled without humor.
“That sounded a lot like obstruction.”
“That sounded a lot like a father telling a compromised cop to stay away from evidence.”
Every deputy stiffened.
Mara stepped forward.
“Gentlemen, before anyone makes a career-ending choice, you should know every camera in this foyer is currently streaming off-site.”
That was a lie.
Adrian knew it.
So did Mara.
But Pike didn’t.
His eyes moved to the ceiling.
“Who are you streaming to?”
Mara smiled.
“Someone who doesn’t wear your ring.”
One deputy slowly lowered his hand from his holster.
Pike saw it.
His face darkened.
“Everyone outside. Now.”
The deputies hesitated.
“I said now.”
They backed toward the door.
Pike stayed.
Adrian folded his arms.
“You too.”
The sheriff leaned close enough that Emily couldn’t hear him.
“You have no idea what you just stepped into.”
Adrian spoke just as quietly.
“Then tell your people to stop standing on my daughter’s throat.”
Pike’s smile vanished.
“This isn’t about your daughter.”
“Then what is it about?”
Pike glanced upstairs.
“Your father.”
Adrian’s chest tightened.
“My father has been dead for eleven years.”
Pike whispered, “That’s what Victor told you.”
Adrian felt the room tilt.
Before he could answer, Pike stepped outside and slammed the door.
Emily approached.
“What did he say?”
Adrian didn’t respond.
Mara did.
“He said something designed to shake him.”
Adrian looked at the staircase.
“Claire said there was someone above Victor.”
“North.”
“Maybe North isn’t a stranger.”
Mara’s phone vibrated.
She checked the screen.
Then her face changed.
“What?” Adrian asked.
“The mansion’s backup server just came online.”
“Good.”
“No.”
She held up the phone.
“Someone logged into it remotely.”
A progress bar moved across the screen.
DELETE ARCHIVE: 31%.
Mara swore.
Emily rushed toward the hall console.
“The recording.”
Adrian looked at her.
“Can you stop it?”
She was already typing.
“Maybe.”
The progress bar jumped.
47%.
Then 63%.
Emily whispered, “Whoever is doing this has admin access.”
Adrian looked toward Mason.
Mason smiled again.
“Too late.”
Emily’s fingers stopped.
“No,” she said.
A second window had opened on the screen.
LIVE FEED — GARAGE.
A man wearing a dark coat stepped into frame.
Victor Vale.
Adrian’s brother.
He looked directly into the camera.
May you like
Then raised one finger to his lips.
