Chapter 4
I marched straight back to Detective Harris,
my hands balled into tight fists.
We have a major problem,
I told him without wasting any time.
I relayed the terrifying phone call,
watching his professional demeanor instantly harden.
That was Damian,
Harris muttered with intense frustration.
Marcus's older brother,
and a major player in the underground docks.
We have been trying to nail him for years,
but he always manages to slip away clean.
Well he just threatened my daughter,
I said with deadly seriousness.
I want police protection for this room,
and I want it set up right now.
Harris nodded in complete agreement,
pulling out his radio to call for immediate backup.
Within fifteen agonizing minutes,
two armed officers were stationed at the door.
I went back inside the quiet room,
locking the heavy wooden door firmly behind me.
Mia was telling Leo a story,
her voice animated and surprisingly cheerful.
I sat in the corner chair,
pulling out my laptop from my oversized work bag.
If Damian wanted a brutal war,
I was going to give him one he would regret.
I logged into the hospital's secure network,
using my old auditing credentials to bypass the firewall.
I needed leverage,
and criminals always left a digital paper trail behind.
I started digging into the trust fund,
tracing the money Marcus had already drained out.
It hadn't gone to luxury cars,
or expensive vacations like Vanessa had loudly claimed.
The money had been wired to a shell corporation,
a holding company registered in Delaware.
I cross-referenced the corporate officers,
my eyes scanning the endless rows of data.
There it was,
a glaring mistake they never thought I would find.
The holding company was leasing warehouse space,
right on the very docks Damian supposedly controlled.
They were using Leo's inheritance money,
to fund Damian's illegal smuggling operations.
I smiled fiercely at the bright screen,
feeling a surge of triumphant adrenaline.
I printed the banking records,
shoving the warm papers into my leather bag.
Just then,
the hospital room door suddenly rattled.
Someone was trying the locked handle,
pushing against it with significant force.
I stood up instantly,
moving to stand directly in front of the children.
Who is it,
I called out sharply.
It is Officer Jenkins,
a muffled voice replied from the hallway.
We have a situation out here,
you need to open the door immediately.
I frowned deeply,
something about his tone feeling entirely wrong.
Where is the other officer,
I demanded loudly.
There was no immediate answer,
just the sound of heavy breathing through the wood.
I backed away from the door,
pulling my heavy metal flashlight from my bag.
Get in the bathroom,
I whispered urgently to Mia and Leo.
Lock the door and do not make a sound,
no matter what you hear out here.
Mia grabbed Leo's hand tightly,
pulling him off the bed and into the small bathroom.
The click of the lock echoed loudly,
just as the main door hinges began to violently splinter.
Someone was kicking it in,
shattering the heavy wood with brutal force.
I raised my flashlight high,
my muscles tense and fully prepared to strike.
The door burst open,
sending wood chips flying across the linoleum floor.
A large man in a security uniform stepped in,
but he was definitely not a real police officer.
He smiled wickedly at me,
pulling a long hunting knife from his dark belt.
Damian sends his regards,
he sneered as he took a step toward me.
May you like
I didn't waste a single second,
I swung the heavy flashlight with everything I had.
