The Garage

I aimed the gun at Richard, my hand trembling violently. "Let her go."

"I can't do that, Helen," Richard said. He pressed the muzzle of his gun into the base of Maya's skull. "Not until I have the tablet."

"It's in the river," I said. "You saw me throw it."

"You threw *a* tablet," he said. "But not the one that matters."

He nodded toward my pocket.

"The phone, Helen. The one Simon gave you. Or rather, the one you took from him."

I froze.

"James told me," Richard continued. "He was tracking Simon's phone too. He knows you called the surveyor. He knows you found the tunnel."

He took a step forward, dragging Maya with him.

"Give me the phone. And the key you used to stab James."

I looked at James, who was still on his knees, clutching his neck. He was bleeding heavily, but he was alive. His eyes were fixed on me with a cold, reptilian hate.

"Don't do it, Helen," James rasped. "He'll kill her anyway."

"Shut up!" Richard shouted, his calm facade cracking for a second. "I'm saving her! I'm the only one who can save her!"

"Save her from what?" I asked. "From you?"

"From *them*," Richard said, gesturing vaguely toward the city. "The investors. The people Dad stole from. If the money disappears... they'll come for us. All of us."

"So you're going to pay them off?"

"I'm going to disappear," he said. "With Maya. We'll be safe."

"Without me?"

Richard looked at me. There was no love in his eyes. Only calculation.

"You're a liability, Helen. You always were. Too curious. Too stubborn."

He cocked the hammer of his gun.

"The phone. Now."

I reached into my pocket. My fingers brushed against the cold metal of the burner phone. And something else.

The remote starter for the SUV.

I pulled out Simon's phone.

"Okay," I said. "Okay. Just let her go."

I held the phone out.

Richard smiled. "Good girl."

He shoved Maya forward, but he didn't let go of her arm.

"Toss it here."

I tossed the phone. It landed on the wet metal grating between us.

Richard leaned down to pick it up, his gun wavering for a fraction of a second.

I pressed the button on the remote starter.

Behind me, the SUV roared to life. The headlights flashed on, high beams cutting through the mist like lasers.

The sudden glare blinded Richard. He flinched, shielding his eyes.

"Run, Maya!" I screamed.

Maya twisted out of his grip. She didn't run toward me. She ran toward the edge of the bridge.

"No!" Richard shouted, lunging for her.

He grabbed her coat.

I fired.

The bullet hit Richard in the shoulder. He spun around, losing his grip on Maya. He fell back against the railing, the gun slipping from his hand and clattering into the river.

Maya scrambled away from him, crawling toward me on her hands and knees.

I grabbed her, pulling her behind me.

Richard was groaning, clutching his shoulder. He tried to stand, but his legs wouldn't support him.

James was laughing. A wet, bubbling sound.

"Well done, Helen," he wheezed. "Very... messy."

I pointed the gun at Richard.

"Stay down," I said.

But Richard wasn't looking at me. He was looking at something behind me.

I turned.

Julian was there.

He had come back. He was standing by the SUV, soaking wet, holding a tire iron.

"You forgot something, Ricky," Julian said, walking toward us.

Richard looked up at his brother. "Julian... please..."

Julian didn't stop. He raised the tire iron.

"You forgot that I'm the one who taught you how to swim."

He swung.

The sound of metal hitting bone was sickening. Richard collapsed.

Julian looked at me. Then at Maya.

"Get in the car," he said.

"What?"

"Get in the car, Helen. We're leaving."

"I'm not going with you," I said, backing away.

"Yes, you are," Julian said. He pointed to the end of the bridge.

Blue lights were flashing in the distance. The police were finally here.

"You shot Simon," Julian said. "You shot Richard. You stabbed James. How do you think that looks?"

He smiled.

"Did you drug my brother? Naughty Helen."

He opened the passenger door of the SUV.

"Get in. Or explain to the cops why you murdered your entire family."