Chapter 7: Locker Seventeen
"Anna, you are staying here.""
I stared at James.
He was standing in the dark hallway with his phone in one hand and the photograph of my mother in the other.
For a moment, I couldn't believe what I'd heard.
"You don't get to order me to stay home.""
"I'm not ordering you because I want control.""
"You literally just ordered me.""
"I'm trying to keep you alive.""
I stepped closer.
"And I'm trying to keep my mother alive.""
His jaw tightened.
"That's exactly why you can't come.""
"Then who's going to stop you from walking into a trap?""
"I can handle it.""
"No.""
The word came out before I could stop it.
James stared at me.
"No?""
"No. I'm done hearing that.""
He took a breath.
"Anna—"
"You lied about the safe. You lied about Lauren having a key. You lied about Daniel coming here.
You lied about the evidence. And every time I found out something, you told me it was because you were protecting me.""
His face fell slightly.
"So forgive me," I said, "but I'm not letting you disappear into another room full of secrets.""
"You're not listening.""
"Then make me.""
He looked toward the window.
Rain slid down the glass in long silver streaks.
Finally he said, "The people behind this know exactly how to manipulate me.""
"They know how to manipulate me too.""
"That's different.""
"How?""
"Because they'll use you to control my decisions.""
I folded my arms.
"They already are.""
Silence.
He knew I was right.
The key card sat on the counter between us.
*17.*
I picked it up.
"We go together.""
James looked at me for several seconds.
Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet.
He removed an old photograph.
He handed it to me.
It showed a younger James standing outside a military transport truck with three men.
One was Daniel.
Another was Colonel Reed.
The third man was unfamiliar.
Except I had seen him before.
In the photograph from my phone.
Outside our house.
I looked up.
"Who is he?""
James took the picture back.
"Marcus Vale.""
"Who is Marcus Vale?""
"Defense contractor.""
"Your friend?""
"No.""
"Enemy?""
"I thought he was.""
"That sounds encouraging.""
James ignored the sarcasm.
"Marcus worked with the contractor that handled logistics for our operation. Daniel discovered several shipments were being rerouted.""
"Money?""
"Money. Equipment. Personnel.""
"Stolen?""
"Sometimes.""
I looked at the photograph again.
"And my mother was connected to this?""
"Her bank account was.""
"That's not the same thing.""
"No.""
The way he said it made me realize something.
"You think she was being used.""
"I think someone used ordinary people to move dirty money.""
"Lauren.""
"Possibly.""
"Mom.""
"Possibly.""
I swallowed.
"And me?""
His expression softened.
"Not voluntarily.""
A strange chill moved through me.
"Then why me?""
He looked at the photograph of my mother.
"Because you are the one person everyone knows I would never abandon.""
My chest tightened.
"And that's why they took her.""
"Yes.""
I looked toward the baby monitor.
Emma was still asleep at Maggie's apartment.
"Call Maggie.""
"Why?""
"Tell her not to leave.""
James nodded.
He made the call.
Maggie answered immediately.
"James?""
"Keep Emma inside. Lock the doors. Don't let anyone in.""
There was a pause.
"What happened?""
"Nothing you need to worry about.""
I grabbed the phone from him.
"Maggie, please. Just promise me.""
Her voice changed when she heard mine.
"Anna?""
"Please.""
"I promise.""
I handed the phone back.
James ended the call.
Then he looked at me.
"Stay behind me when we get there.""
"Fine.""
"Don't touch anything.""
"Fine.""
"Don't leave my sight.""
I raised an eyebrow.
"That one might be harder.""
He almost smiled.
Almost.
We took his SUV.
Before getting in, James checked the street.
Twice.
The rain had stopped.
Fog hovered low over the road.
I buckled my seat belt.
James started the engine.
Neither of us spoke for the first few minutes.
Then I asked, "What's in locker seventeen?""
"I don't know.""
"You're sure?""
"Yes.""
"You've been there before.""
"Once.""
"And it was empty.""
"Yes.""
"Then why are they so certain?""
He looked straight ahead.
"Because they don't think the evidence is the thing inside.""
"What is?""
"I'm not sure.""
I looked out the window.
"Could it be Daniel?""
James didn't answer.
My heart stopped.
"You think Daniel is alive.""
"I think we have to consider it.""
"Then why would he let Lauren bring that gun?""
"I don't know.""
"You don't know anything.""
"Not tonight.""
I turned toward him.
"Then maybe that's the first honest thing you've said.""
He nodded.
"I deserve that.""
The warehouse was on the edge of an industrial district where most of the buildings had been abandoned years ago.
The road narrowed.
Streetlights became scarce.
James turned off the headlights half a block away.
"Why are you doing that?""
"Because I don't want them seeing us arrive.""
"They know we're coming.""
"That doesn't mean we need to make it easy.""
He parked behind an old brick building.
We got out.
The warehouse stood across the lot.
Tall.
Dark.
Its metal siding was streaked with rust.
A faded sign with the Walker family name hung crooked above the entrance.
I had never seen it before.
James had never mentioned it.
"Your family really owned this?""
"Yes.""
"Why did you never tell me?""
"It didn't matter.""
"Apparently everything matters now.""
He didn't argue.
We approached the side entrance.
James pulled out the key card.
The scanner flashed red.
He tried again.
Green.
The door unlocked.
Inside, the air smelled of oil, dust, and wet concrete.
Our footsteps echoed.
The place was much larger than I expected.
Rows of old storage lockers stretched into the darkness.
I counted the numbers.
Five.
Nine.
Twelve.
Fifteen.
Then—
*17*
James stopped.
The locker was taller than the others.
Its metal surface had been painted black.
There was no handle.
Only a keypad.
I looked at James.
"You said it was empty.""
"It was.""
"How did you open it?""
"My old access code.""
"Try it.""
He entered six numbers.
Nothing happened.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
Then a speaker mounted above the locker clicked on.
A man's voice filled the warehouse.
"Good evening, Captain Walker.""
James stepped in front of me.
"Marcus.""
The voice laughed.
"You always were quick.""
"Where is Anna's mother?""
"Close.""
"Let her go.""
"We will.""
"When?""
"When you return what you stole.""
James' face hardened.
"I stole nothing.""
"You took my property.""
"Your property?""
I whispered, "The drive?""
Marcus continued.
"Locker seventeen contains something that belongs to me.""
James looked at the keypad.
"And if I open it?""
"You'll understand.""
"That's not an answer.""
"It is the only one you're getting.""
I stepped forward.
"Marcus.""
Silence.
Then the voice returned.
"You must be Anna.""
"Where is my mother?""
"I told your husband. She is close.""
"She's alive?""
"At the moment.""
James' hand found mine.
"Don't listen to him.""
Marcus laughed.
"That's adorable.""
I squeezed James' hand.
"How do I know you're really holding her?""
"You don't.""
"Then prove it.""
A small monitor above the locker flickered on.
The screen showed my mother.
She was sitting on the same chair.
Her face was bruised.
But she was conscious.
"Mom!""
Her eyes widened.
"Anna?""
I nearly ran toward the screen.
James caught my arm.
"Don't.""
Mom looked directly at the camera.
"Anna, listen to me.""
Her voice was weak.
"Don't trust anyone.""
I stared at the screen.
"Mom, we're coming.""
"No.""
She shook her head.
"You can't.""
James stepped toward the monitor.
"Who did this?""
Mom looked at him.
Her expression changed.
"James.""
He froze.
"What?""
"I should have told you.""
"Told me what?""
She closed her eyes briefly.
"Daniel didn't disappear.""
James went rigid.
I looked at him.
Mom continued.
"He came back.""
My mouth went dry.
"Where is he?""
Mom looked toward someone outside the camera's view.
Then she whispered, "He's the one who has me.""
James' eyes narrowed.
"No.""
Mom nodded slowly.
"Daniel was never protecting you.""
A loud metallic clank came from locker seventeen.
We both turned.
The lock released.
The heavy door opened by itself.
Inside was a single chair.
Nothing else.
Except a small recorder sitting on the seat.
James reached for it.
The speaker crackled.
Daniel's voice came through.
"James, if you're hearing this, it means you brought Anna.""
My entire body went cold.
The recording continued.
"I need you to understand something before you open the next door.""
A pause.
"I didn't disappear because they found me.""
Another pause.
"I disappeared because I found out who gave them Anna's name.""
James stopped breathing.
I looked at him.
Then the recording said the sentence that shattered everything.
"It was your wife.""
The recorder clicked off.
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
James slowly turned toward me.
"Anna...""
I shook my head.
"I don't understand.""
Neither did he.
Then the warehouse lights came on.
Every single one.
At the far end of the building, a steel door opened.
A man stepped into the light.
Daniel Reed.
He was alive.
And beside him stood my mother.
But Daniel wasn't holding a weapon.
He was holding a folder.
He smiled at James.
May you like
Then he looked at me.
"Now," he said, "let's talk about what you remembered before you met your husband.""
