Chapter 15 - THE SHOT UPSTAIRS
Adrian moved before the echo died.
The tactical officer caught him by the shoulder.
“Stay here.”
“My daughter is upstairs.”
Another shout.
Then Vanessa’s voice.
“Olivia, run!”
Adrian tore free and charged toward the stairwell.
Behind him, Clara remained focused on Emma.
Harlan’s grip had loosened at the sound of the gunshot.
“Look at me,” Clara said.
He did.
“You don’t want a baby hurt in your arms.”
“You don’t know what I want.”
“I know you’re shaking.”
His eyes flickered.
“Give her to me.”
Graham shouted, “Don’t.”
That was the mistake.
Harlan looked toward him.
Clara stepped forward and took Emma.
Police drove Harlan to the floor.
Graham reached for the ledger.
An officer stopped him.
Upstairs, Adrian found Olivia crouched behind a nurses’ station.
“Dad!”
He pulled her against him.
“Where’s Vanessa?”
Olivia pointed down the corridor.
“She went after Mason.”
Adrian froze.
“Mason?”
“He’s here.”
At the far end of the hall, a man emerged from a dark room holding his wounded shoulder.
Mason Reed.
He had left the hospital before police formally detained him.
“Adrian,” he called.
Vanessa stepped from the opposite doorway with a handgun.
“Don’t move.”
Adrian pulled Olivia behind him.
Mason laughed bitterly. “She still thinks I’m the problem.”
“You told Graham where the ledger was,” Vanessa said.
“You shot me.”
“You were going to sell him the girls’ location.”
Adrian looked between them.
“You both stop.”
Vanessa’s hand trembled.
“I came here to get Olivia out.”
“You brought her here.”
“So Graham would open the building.”
“You used my daughter as bait.”
Her face collapsed.
“I know.”
That phrase again.
I know.
As if knowing could undo terror.
Mason suddenly moved toward the stairwell.
Vanessa fired.
The shot struck the wall beside him.
Police shouted from below.
Mason ran.
Adrian followed just far enough to see him crash through a side door and disappear into the old therapy courtyard.
Then Olivia grabbed his sleeve.
“Dad, don’t.”
He stopped.
For once, he chose the child in front of him over the man running away.
Olivia began crying.
“She told me Mom knew you’d blame yourself.”
“What?”
“Vanessa. She said Mom left a message for you in the ledger.”
Downstairs, Clara opened the old leather book.
Between two accounting pages was a sealed envelope.
May you like
On it, Natalie had written:
ADRIAN — IF YOU’RE READING THIS, PLEASE DON’T BECOME THE ANGRIEST MAN IN THE ROOM.
