Chapter 12: The Video Evidence
314 Words
The video was only 3 seconds long.
But it could ruin Victoria.
Evan had it pulled up on his office screen. The warehouse. Dock 17. A figure in a black hoodie pouring liquid from a can.
“Enhance the timestamp,” Evan said to his security chief. “I need to know exactly when this was taken.”
“24 hours before the fire,” the chief said. “And look at this.”
He zoomed in. On the hoodie sleeve. A small logo. Cross Enterprises security.
My stomach dropped. “One of your own people?”
“Looks like it,” Evan said. His voice was ice. “Which means Victoria has someone on the inside.”
My phone buzzed. The same unknown number.
`Delete the video. Or she pays. -V`
Evan saw it over my shoulder. He took my phone, typed back:
`Try it.`
“Are you crazy?” I said.
“No,” he said. “I’m done playing defense.”
He called the police. Sent them the video. Then turned to me.
“Pack a bag,” he said. “You’re not staying here alone.”
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere safe. Somewhere she can’t find us.”
2 hours later we were in a penthouse across town. No staff. No board. Just us.
Evan was watching the door like he expected her to come through it.
“Why are you doing all this for me?” I asked. “The contract ends in 26 days.”
He finally looked at me. Really looked.
“Because the fire wasn’t the first time someone tried to hurt me,” he said quietly. “And you’re the first person who ran into it to save someone else.”
I didn’t know what to say.
His phone rang. Detective Carter.
“We got him,” Carter said. “The guy
- Writer
