Chapter 7: The Warehouse
Chapter 7: The Warehouse
Detective Laura Bennett sped through the rain-slicked streets, her patrol lights cutting through the darkness.
Michael Donovan's call had lasted less than a minute.
It was enough.
The emergency tracing unit had narrowed the signal to an abandoned industrial district near the river.
Not an exact address.
Just a radius of a few hundred yards.
It was the best lead they had.
"Dispatch," Bennett said into her radio, "send backup to the Riverside Warehouse District."
"Units are en route."
She pressed harder on the accelerator.
At Carter Memorial Medical Center, Marcus had just returned to Khloe's recovery suite when his phone rang.
It was Detective Bennett.
"Marcus, I need to tell you something."
"What happened?"
"We spoke with Michael Donovan."
"You found him?"
"For a few seconds."
Marcus immediately heard the concern in her voice.
"What went wrong?"
"The call was interrupted."
"Interrupted how?"
"It sounded like someone found him."
Marcus's face tightened.
"Is he alive?"
"I don't know."
Marcus looked through the glass at Khloe, who had finally fallen asleep.
"Keep me updated."
"I will."
After ending the call, Marcus quietly closed his eyes.
Whoever had orchestrated this wasn't simply trying to hide evidence anymore.
They were hunting witnesses.
Across town, Michael Donovan ran through a maze of abandoned warehouses.
His lungs burned.
The flash drive bounced inside his jacket pocket.
Behind him came the sound of footsteps.
Steady.
Unhurried.
As if his pursuers already knew he had nowhere to go.
Michael ducked behind a stack of rusted shipping containers.
He struggled to slow his breathing.
The footsteps stopped.
Silence.
Then a voice echoed through the empty building.
"You've caused enough trouble."
Michael didn't respond.
"We only want the drive."
Another pause.
"You can still walk away."
Michael knew it was a lie.
If they wanted only the drive, they wouldn't have chased him across half the city.
He quietly removed the flash drive from his pocket.
There was only one copy.
If they took it...
Everything would disappear.
Three police cruisers pulled into the warehouse district moments later.
Detective Bennett stepped out with her weapon drawn.
"Spread out."
The officers moved carefully between the abandoned buildings.
One officer suddenly shouted,
"Detective!"
She hurried over.
Fresh footprints crossed the muddy ground.
Several sets.
Leading into Warehouse 14.
Bennett motioned for silence.
The officers surrounded the building.
She slowly pushed open the side door.
The warehouse was dark.
Only moonlight filtered through broken skylights.
"Police!" she called.
"No one move!"
For several seconds...
Nothing.
Then—
A loud metallic crash echoed from the upper level.
"Second floor!"
The officers rushed upstairs.
Michael heard them.
Police.
Relief flooded through him.
He stood.
"I'm here!"
Before he could take another step—
A shadow emerged from behind a support beam.
The masked man swung a steel pipe.
Michael barely ducked.
The pipe slammed into the railing instead.
Metal screamed.
Michael stumbled backward.
The old railing gave way beneath his weight.
He fell.
Two stories.
Detective Bennett reached the balcony just in time to see him crash onto a pile of wooden pallets below.
"Michael!"
The masked man bolted toward the opposite staircase.
"Stop!"
Officers gave chase.
The suspect disappeared through a rear exit before anyone could catch him.
Paramedics arrived within minutes.
Michael was still breathing.
Barely.
Detective Bennett knelt beside him.
"Michael."
His eyes fluttered open.
"The... drive..."
"It's safe."
He weakly shook his head.
"No..."
With trembling fingers, he reached inside his jacket.
The flash drive was gone.
Someone had taken it during the struggle.
Michael's breathing became shallow.
"They... have it..."
"Who?"
He struggled to speak.
"The..."
His voice faded.
Detective Bennett leaned closer.
"The what?"
Michael whispered two words.
"Board member..."
Then he lost consciousness.
Back at the hospital, Marcus received another call.
This time it was William Carter.
"You should come to my office."
"Now?"
"Immediately."
Marcus looked toward Khloe.
She was still asleep.
He quietly kissed her forehead before leaving.
"I'll be back soon."
William was standing beside his desk when Marcus arrived.
Detective Bennett joined them moments later.
She looked exhausted.
"We found Michael."
Marcus searched her face.
"Is he alive?"
"Barely."
"What happened?"
"He was attacked."
William frowned.
"Did he identify anyone?"
Detective Bennett hesitated.
"He said one thing before losing consciousness."
"What?"
"He said..."
She looked directly at William.
"...'Board member.'"
Silence filled the office.
Marcus slowly looked around the room.
"The Hospital Board?"
Detective Bennett nodded.
"That's our working theory."
William's expression darkened.
"There are eleven members."
Marcus folded his arms.
"One of them may have helped plan the attack."
William quietly walked toward the conference room window overlooking the hospital campus.
"I've known some of those people for over twenty years."
"Could one of them be involved?"
He answered honestly.
"I don't know anymore."
The following morning, an emergency Board meeting was called.
Every member attended.
Some appeared concerned.
Others seemed irritated by the unexpected meeting.
William stood at the head of the long mahogany table.
"Ladies and gentlemen..."
He paused.
"One of you may be responsible for helping orchestrate an attempted murder."
The room erupted.
"What?"
"That's outrageous!"
"You can't accuse us without evidence!"
William raised a hand.
The room became quiet again.
"I haven't accused anyone."
He slowly looked around the table.
"But the police have reason to believe someone with executive access assisted the attacker."
Several board members exchanged nervous glances.
Only one remained completely expressionless.
Charles Whitmore.
Vice Chairman.
A respected businessman.
A longtime family friend.
He calmly folded his hands.
"This is a serious allegation."
William met his gaze.
"It is."
Charles smiled politely.
"Then I trust the investigation will reveal the truth."
No one noticed that beneath the conference table...
Charles's phone vibrated silently.
He glanced down for only a second.
A text message appeared.
Michael survived. Finish the job before he talks.
Charles quietly locked his phone.
When he looked up again...
May you like
His smile had returned.
No one in the room suspected that the conspiracy had just moved far closer to the Thorne family than anyone had imagined.
