Chapter 10 - Brooke’s Last SecretBrooke survived.
Barely.
Another detainee had tried to strangle her using a torn strip of clothing.
The attacker claimed Brooke insulted her.
Nobody believed it.
Caleb arrived at the hospital.
Brooke had bruising around her neck and could barely speak.
She saw him.
“Told you.”
Caleb stood beside the bed.
“You did.”
“Preacher.”
“Maybe.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“You still don’t know.”
“No.”
Brooke motioned him closer.
“I do.”
Caleb froze.
“What?”
“I remembered.”
“Who?”
She swallowed painfully.
“Not name.”
“What?”
“Tattoo.”
Caleb waited.
“Snake.”
His pulse jumped.
Emily had seen a snake ring.
“Where?”
“Wrist.”
“What kind?”
“Snake around… cross.”
Caleb felt something click.
He had seen that image.
Not on Holloway.
On somebody else.
Assistant Prosecutor James Rawlings had a tattoo on his left wrist.
Usually hidden beneath a watch.
Caleb had seen it once during a summer softball game.
A snake wrapped around a cross.
He stepped back.
Brooke watched his face.
“You know.”
Caleb said nothing.
“Who?”
“Rest.”
“Detective.”
He looked at her.
“Tyler met him at the courthouse.”
Caleb’s stomach dropped.
“When?”
“Months ago.”
“Rawlings?”
“I don’t know his name.”
“What did he look like?”
“Forties. Dark hair. Suit.”
Rawlings was forty-two.
“Did Tyler call him Preacher?”
“No.”
“What?”
Brooke whispered:
“Pastor.”
Caleb froze.
Pastor.
Preacher.
Same idea.
Maybe Tyler shortened it.
Or misunderstood.
“Why Pastor?”
Brooke managed a weak laugh.
“Because he talks like everybody’s confessing.”
Rawlings was a prosecutor.
His entire career consisted of making people confess.
Caleb walked into the hallway.
Called Lena.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
He called Ellison.
“Where’s Rawlings?”
“Left twenty minutes ago.”
“With Lena?”
A pause.
“Yes.”
Caleb’s blood went cold.
“Where?”
“She said they were checking an evidence lead.”
“What lead?”
“Holloway office.”
Caleb ran.
“Track Lena’s phone.”
“Caleb?”
“RAWLINGS IS PREACHER.”
Silence.
Then Ellison shouted orders in the background.
Caleb raced toward the parking garage.
His motorcycle was still in police evidence.
He took an unmarked sedan.
Lena’s phone pinged near Lakefront Freight headquarters.
Caleb drove hard but controlled.
No siren.
If Rawlings knew police were coming, Lena died.
He called Lena again.
This time she answered.
No voice.
Just silence.
Then Rawlings.
“Caleb.”
Caleb’s grip tightened.
“James.”
“You’re quick.”
“Let her go.”
“You’re assuming she wants to leave.”
Caleb knew Lena.
She would never cooperate.
“What do you want?”
“Same thing everyone wants.”
“Money?”
Rawlings laughed.
“Control.”
Caleb thought of Mercer.
Holloway.
Pike.
“Are you working for Holloway?”
“No.”
“Is Holloway working for you?”
“Sometimes.”
There it was.
The real hierarchy.
Rawlings had hidden behind Holloway.
Holloway behind Pike.
Pike behind anonymous criminal crews.
Layer after layer.
“What was Mercer going to expose?”
Rawlings paused.
“Everyone.”
“Including you.”
“Yes.”
“What did you do?”
“I offered him protection.”
“You killed him.”
“No.”
Caleb listened carefully.
Rawlings sounded offended.
“Holloway panicked.”
“So Holloway killed Mercer.”
“He ordered it.”
“And you covered it.”
“I corrected a mistake.”
Caleb’s jaw tightened.
“Where is Lena?”
“Come to Lakefront.”
“I’m coming.”
“Alone.”
“You know that isn’t happening.”
“Then she dies.”
The line disconnected.
Caleb called command.
“No entry until I confirm visual.”
Ellison argued.
Caleb didn’t care.
He arrived at Lakefront Freight.
Massive dark warehouse.
Office lights on upper floor.
Caleb entered through a side door.
No weapon drawn yet.
He wanted Rawlings to think he still had control.
A voice echoed from the stairwell.
“Upstairs.”
Caleb climbed.
At the top, Lena sat in a chair.
Hands zip-tied.
Rawlings stood behind her with a pistol.
His watch was gone.
Snake tattoo visible.
Caleb stared.
Rawlings smiled.
“You finally saw it.”
“Brooke did.”
His smile disappeared slightly.
“Still alive?”
“Yes.”
“Disappointing.”
Lena glared at him.
“I told you your prison outsourcing sucked.”
Rawlings pressed the pistol closer.
“Quiet.”
Caleb said, “You’re done.”
Rawlings laughed.
“No.”
“Warehouse raided. Pike cooperating. Holloway missing.”
“Exactly.”
Caleb frowned.
Rawlings smiled.
“Holloway is carrying every crime I need him to carry.”
“You think he’ll stay quiet?”
“He doesn’t get a choice.”
Caleb stared.
“Where is he?”
Rawlings looked toward the window.
“In the building.”
Lena’s face changed.
Caleb realized she hadn’t known.
May you like
Rawlings continued.
“And in about six minutes, Lakefront Freight is going to burn.”
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