Chapter 6 - VENGEANCE OF THE INNOCENTVictor let out a shrill, piercing shriek of agony as his knee buckled backward at an unnatural angle. Momentum carried him forward, sending him crashing face-first onto the unforgiving concrete floor. The brass letter opener flew from his grip, skittering across the oil-stained pavement.
Before Victor could even attempt to push himself up, Detective Vance closed the distance in three massive strides, kicked the weapon far out of reach, and slammed his knee directly into Victor’s spine, forcing him flat against the ground.
Click. Click.
The steel handcuffs bit deep into Victor’s wrists.
“You have the right to remain silent,” Vance panted, pressing his weight down hard as Victor thrashed and cursed like a trapped animal. “Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.”
Martha reached them a second later, dropping to her knees right beside Leo. She didn't look at Victor; she didn't care about the man screaming obscenities into the dust. She grabbed Leo’s trembling shoulders, pulling him tightly against her chest.
“You did it,” Martha sobbed, burying her face in his hair, tears soaking his grey suit jacket. “Oh, my sweet boy, you saved us all.”
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Leo slowly exhaled a breath he felt like he had been holding for nearly a year. The tightness in his chest vanished. The smoke in his mind cleared, replaced by the warm, grounding reality of Martha’s embrace. He wrapped his small arms tightly around her neck, burying his face in her shoulder.
For the first time since the night of the fire, the little boy smiled.
