Chapter 3 - THE CHIEF
Chief Cole entered through the main bay door wearing his uniform.
Two local officers followed him.
Neither aimed at Jason.
Both aimed at Nathan.
“Federal badge on the floor,” Cole ordered.
Nathan did not move.
“Chief, your son is a witness to attempted murder.”
Cole looked at Tyler.
Tyler immediately lowered his eyes.
“He saw nothing.”
Jason laughed softly.
The chain creaked again.
My shoes moved closer to the vapor.
“Please,” I said.
Cole glanced at me.
No concern.
Only annoyance.
“You should have stayed home, Sarah.”
The words struck me harder than the straps.
He knew.
This was not a sudden act of violence.
It was planned.
Nathan slowly placed his badge on the concrete.
“What does Jason have on you?”
Cole’s jaw tightened.
Jason answered.
“Nothing.”
Nathan looked toward the industrial tank.
“Then why are you protecting him?”
Cole raised his weapon.
“Hands behind your head.”
Nathan obeyed.
Michael continued recording.
One of the officers reached for the phone.
Nathan said, “That device is uploading live.”
The officer stopped.
Jason looked at Michael.
“You said it wasn’t connected.”
Michael’s face drained of color.
“I never said that.”
For the first time, I saw Jason genuinely frightened.
He pointed toward the control box.
“Lower her.”
Tyler looked up.
“What?”
“She knows too much.”
Cole stepped between Jason and his son.
“Not here.”
Jason’s voice rose.
“You promised this would end tonight.”
Nathan turned toward me.
“What does she know?”
Jason grabbed the control lever.
Cole caught his arm.
The two men stared at each other.
A partnership cracking in real time.
I looked at Michael.
“Show him.”
Michael unlocked his phone.
He opened the recording he had made before I arrived.
Jason and Cole stood beside the same tank.
A large blue barrel rested between them.
Cole said,
“Once the body goes in, nothing comes back.”
My stomach turned.
Nathan looked at the vapor.
“What body?”
Michael’s breathing shook.
He swiped to another clip.
The barrel lid opened.
Inside was a gray mechanic’s jacket covered in blood.
Daniel’s name patch was stitched across the chest.
I stopped breathing.
Jason watched my face.
“He should have stayed dead.”
Nathan moved toward him.
The officers raised their weapons again.
Then Tyler shouted,
“He isn’t dead!”
Everyone turned.
May you like
Tyler looked at Nathan.
“I saw Daniel three days ago.”
