“I don’t know!”
“Who else is here?”
Javier stared upward.
His face went white.
A man stood on the catwalk.
Older.
Broad-shouldered.
Silver at the temples.
The resemblance to the young “Rafael” photograph was unmistakable.
Thomas Vale Jr.
He clapped slowly.
“Brother-in-law,” he called toward Javier.
Javier shook.
Thomas smiled.
“Still disappointing.”
Alexander stepped forward.
“Daniel Mercer.”
Thomas’s smile widened.
“Alive.”
My heart jumped.
“Where?”
Thomas looked at me.
“Closer than you think.”
Then every warehouse door slammed shut.
Metal shutters dropped over the exits.
Thomas disappeared from the walkway.
Marcus looked at Alexander.
“We’ve been locked in.”
A recorded voice echoed through speakers.
Thomas.
“Alexander, you have something that belongs to me.”
Alexander raised the key.
“You mean this?”
“No.”
A pause.
Then:
“I mean Caroline.”
PART 5 — THE CONFESSION IN LOCKER 317
The words echoed through the warehouse.
I mean Caroline.
Alexander looked at me as if someone had struck him.
