Chapter 6 - The Broken Covenant
I didn't light the gas. I tossed the lighter into my pocket, grabbed a box cutter from the desk, and sliced through Sarah’s wrist ties in two clean strokes.
She fell into my arms, weeping hysterically, her body shaking so hard she could barely stand.
“Mark... I’m so sorry,” she choked out, pressing her face into my neck. “I was so scared. He came to the house while you were at the fire station... he showed me photos of Emma asleep in her bed... he said if I didn't follow his instructions, he’d trigger an incendiary device in the attic...”
“Shh,” I whispered, kissing her wet hair, pulling her tight against my chest. “I know. I know baby. The kids are safe. David is with them.”
We dragged Vance’s limp, unconscious body out of the office and into the main hallway, securing his hands with his own leather belt.
Five minutes later, the sirens echoed down the street.
Four sheriff’s cruisers and an ambulance pulled up to the loading dock, their lights bathing the cracked glass building in brilliant hues of red and blue. Deputy Miller burst through the rear doors with his firearm drawn, followed by four armed deputies.
Miller stopped dead when he saw Vance tied up against the wall and me sitting on the concrete floor with my arm wrapped tightly around Sarah.
“Jesus, Mark,” Miller gasped, holstering his weapon. “We traced the burner phone to a secondary cell tower near the docks... but you got here first.”
“He had the land documents, Miller,” Sarah said, her voice raspy as the paramedics wrapped a warm blanket around her shoulders. “He was trying to force me to sign over the blind trust for the old industrial property on the river. He built a shell company... he wanted the mineral rights.”
Miller looked down at Vance, who was slowly groaning, coming back to consciousness with blood dripping from his nose.
“Julian Vance,” Miller said, pulling out a pair of steel handcuffs. “You’re under arrest for kidnapping, attempted murder, extortion, and arson.”
As the paramedics led Sarah toward the ambulance, I stood over Vance. He looked up at me through one swollen eye, his face contorted in bitter defeat.
“You think you won, Reed?” Vance spat, blood coating his teeth. “You think this ends with me? The trust... the land... it isn't just worth millions. The whole county council is in on it. You’ll never keep those kids safe.”
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I leaned down until my eyes were inches from his.
“You touched my family, Julian,” I said, my voice dropping into a low, terrifying register. “And if anyone else from your little group so much as looks at my house... I won't call the sheriff. I’ll handle it myself.”
