Chapter 15 - Emily’s Trick
Emily did not cry.
She looked straight at Charles and said, “That wasn’t the real one.”
Charles froze.
Vincent almost laughed.
Rocco grabbed the girl by the arm. “What did you say?”
Emily pointed at Charles’s coat pocket.
“You took my mom’s phone. The one you threw was mine.”
Charles shoved a hand into his pocket.
Too late.
Emily stomped hard on his foot, ducked under Rocco’s arm, and ran.
Gunfire exploded.
Federal agents returned fire from the river unit. Vincent jumped from the bow onto the wet dock before anyone could stop him.
“Emily! Down!”
She dropped flat behind a concrete block.
Michael fired at Vincent.
Sofia, still on the boat, shouted his name.
The shot tore through Vincent’s coat but missed flesh.
Rocco ran for the old warehouse at the end of the dock. Charles followed.
Michael hesitated.
That hesitation killed his chance to escape.
Dominic’s voice boomed from behind the federal team.
“Mike!”
Vincent turned.
Dominic had arrived in another vehicle with agents from the estate.
Michael stared at his brother across the rain.
“Come with me!” Dominic shouted. “It’s done!”
Michael looked at Rocco disappearing into the warehouse.
Then at Dominic.
For one second, Vincent thought blood might win.
Michael lowered his gun.
Rocco fired from the warehouse door.
The bullet struck Michael in the back.
Dominic screamed.
Michael collapsed.
Agents rushed forward.
Vincent reached Emily and pulled her behind cover.
“You hurt?”
She shook her head violently.
“Mom’s going to kill me.”
“Get in line.”
She dug into her sweater and produced Grace’s cracked blue phone.
Charles had taken it, but Emily had stolen it back when she stomped his foot.
“Message three,” she said.
Vincent stared at her.
“Now?”
“She said to play it if we got near the river.”
Vincent pressed Play.
Sofia’s recorded voice said, “If you’re at the river, Rocco is heading for the cement warehouse. Do not follow him through the main door.”
Vincent looked at the warehouse.
The main door stood open.
Sofia’s voice continued.
“The floor is rigged.”
At that exact moment, three federal agents charged through the entrance.
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Vincent shouted, “Stop!”
A red light blinked under the concrete threshold.
