Chapter 11 - The ChiefDaniel stared at Chief Hayes’s message.
Michael read it over his shoulder.
“He knows Evan was missing.”
Daniel nodded.
“Only a handful of people knew.”
Marcus’s expression hardened.
“He’s the leak.”
Michael shook his head.
“More than the leak.”
They left Millbrook using back roads.
Ryan came voluntarily.
His two associates did too.
No one trusted the police department enough to make an arrest yet.
They regrouped inside an unused fire station Marcus knew through a friend.
Daniel sat across from Michael.
“Talk.”
Michael looked older under fluorescent lights.
“Nine years ago, Hayes was Northstar’s police liaison.”
“Police liaison?”
“He arranged access.”
“To what?”
“Evidence rooms. databases. personnel files.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“He wasn’t chief then.”
“No. Captain.”
“He helped frame David.”
“Yes.”
“Did Keller know?”
“Only part.”
Daniel looked toward Keller, still handcuffed in the corner.
Keller lowered his eyes.
Michael continued.
“Hayes ordered me to use your credentials.”
Daniel stared.
“Why mine?”
“Because you were clean.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“It does if the plan failed.”
Michael leaned forward.
“If anyone discovered the altered evidence, it pointed to a young patrol officer.”
Daniel understood.
“I was the backup scapegoat.”
“Yes.”
His stomach twisted.
“And you agreed.”
Michael’s voice broke.
“Yes.”
Silence.
Daniel wanted to hit him.
Instead he asked:
“Sarah.”
Michael looked away.
“She learned Hayes was involved.”
“And?”
“She tried to contact you.”
Daniel stopped.
“What?”
“Before she died.”
“How?”
“She called the station.”
Daniel stared.
Michael continued.
“Hayes intercepted it.”
“You know that?”
“I found the recording years later.”
Daniel’s hands tightened.
“What did she say?”
Michael reached into his coat.
A tiny encrypted recorder.
He played a file.
Sarah’s voice filled the room.
Older than Daniel remembered.
Frightened.
“My name is Sarah Mercer. I need Officer Daniel Reed. Please don’t tell anyone I called.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Her next words cut deeper.
“I need to tell him about his son.”
Evan looked up.
Daniel couldn’t breathe.
“I made terrible choices. I lied to Daniel. I lied to David.”
Sarah began crying.
“But Evan is Daniel’s.”
Daniel looked at the boy.
No DNA test was needed to understand what Sarah believed.
The recording continued.
“Chief Hayes knows. If he finds out I called, I don’t know what he’ll do.”
Then another voice entered the recording.
Hayes.
Calm.
“Sarah?”
She gasped.
The file ended.
Daniel looked at Michael.
“What happened next?”
“She ran.”
“To you?”
“Yes.”
“With Evan?”
“Yes.”
“And then she died.”
Michael nodded.
Daniel’s voice hardened.
“Tell me exactly.”
Michael’s hands shook.
“She had a gun.”
“Why?”
“She thought I was still working with Hayes.”
“Were you?”
“No.”
“She believed you were.”
“Yes.”
“She pointed it at you.”
Michael nodded.
“I tried to take it.”
“The gun fired?”
“Yes.”
“Where was Evan?”
“In his carrier.”
Daniel’s eyes burned.
Michael whispered, “I heard him crying after she fell.”
No one spoke.
“I could have called the police.”
“But Hayes would come.”
“Yes.”
“So you ran.”
“I took Evan.”
Daniel stared.
“And then let me believe you were dead.”
“I thought it was the only way.”
“It wasn’t.”
“I know.”
For the first time, Michael didn’t defend himself.
Daniel looked toward Evan.
The boy sat very still.
Too still.
“Evan.”
He looked up.
Daniel crouched.
“You don’t have to understand any of this tonight.”
“I understand enough.”
“What?”
“You’re my dad.”
Daniel’s throat tightened.
“Probably.”
Evan frowned.
“Probably?”
A tiny spark of irritation.
Daniel almost laughed.
“We’ll do a DNA test.”
“Okay.”
The boy looked at Michael.
“And he’s my dad too.”
Michael’s face broke.
Evan continued.
“One of you made me.”
Then he looked at Michael.
“And one of you stayed.”
Daniel felt the words like a blade.
Because the boy was right.
Before anyone could answer, the fire station doors opened.
Chief Hayes walked in.
Alone.
No weapon visible.
Everyone stood.
Marcus drew his gun.
“Stop.”
Hayes raised his hands.
He looked at Daniel.
“I can explain.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“You altered my son’s birth record.”
Hayes’s eyes moved to Evan.
Then to Michael.
His expression changed.
“You’re alive.”
Michael smiled coldly.
“Disappointed?”
Hayes looked toward Ryan.
Keller.
Marcus.
Too many witnesses.
Daniel said, “You’re done.”
Hayes sighed.
“No.”
He reached slowly into his pocket.
Marcus raised his weapon.
“Don’t.”
Hayes removed a phone.
He placed it on the floor.
A live video played.
Lisa Moreno.
Bound to a chair.
Daniel froze.
Hayes looked directly at him.
“If I’m done…”
May you like
He nodded toward the screen.
“…your partner dies first.”
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