CHAPTER 8 — The Man Behind the Badge
The steel door slid open with a low metallic hum.
Emily tightened her grip around baby Daniel, expecting another masked gunman.
Instead, she froze.
Standing in the doorway was Chief Deputy Aaron Whitlock.
He had attended Daniel's funeral.
He had carried the flag folded over Daniel's coffin.
He had hugged Emily and promised, "We'll always take care of your family."
Now he was pointing a pistol at her.
Marcus stared in disbelief.
"Aaron..."
"You?"
Whitlock sighed.
"I never wanted it to end this way."
He stepped into the panic room, his polished shoes echoing against the concrete floor.
"Victor Grayson built an empire."
"Daniel was going to destroy it."
Marcus clenched his teeth.
"So you murdered him."
Whitlock shook his head.
"No."
"I simply told the wrong people where his team would be."
Emily felt as though the air had been ripped from her lungs.
"You sold him."
Whitlock didn't answer.
His silence was enough.
Just then, Richard quietly reached into his jacket.
Whitlock immediately turned his weapon.
"Don't."
Richard slowly smiled.
"I'm too old to fight."
"I was only looking for this."
He held up a small silver remote.
Whitlock frowned.
"What is that?"
Richard pressed the button.
Instantly, hidden steel shutters slammed down over every exit of the estate.
Emergency lights flashed red.
Outside, police sirens screamed from every direction.
Marcus smiled through the blood on his face.
"You walked into a trap."
Whitlock's confident expression disappeared.
Richard calmly explained,
"After Daniel's letter, we expected someone inside the department."
"So we never announced the real location of the evidence."
Whitlock looked toward Emily.
"What evidence?"
Emily slowly lifted the baby carrier.
Hidden beneath the blanket was not only her sleeping son...
But the original flash drive Daniel had hidden.
Everything Whitlock feared was still intact.
Outside, tactical officers surrounded the estate.
Whitlock realized there was nowhere left to run.
But before anyone could arrest him...
He reached into his pocket.
And pressed another remote.
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Far beneath police headquarters...
A secure evidence vault erupted into flames.
