Chapter 6: The Warehouse of Lies
The police convoy reached the old warehouse shortly after midnight.
Rain hammered the windshield.
I sat in the passenger seat beside Detective Harris, staring at the dark industrial building ahead.
I'd visited the property dozens of times.
It had once been the heart of our distribution operation.
My father had helped me purchase it when the company was still small.
Now it looked abandoned.
The windows were dark.
The loading doors were closed.
And two black SUVs stood outside.
"That's them," I said.
Detective Harris nodded.
"Stay behind the officers.""
"I want to see my daughter.""
"We'll get her out.""
I looked through the windshield.
A security guard stood beside the entrance.
He wore a dark jacket with the logo of Morrison Security Solutions.
Chad's father's company.
The detective spoke into his radio.
"Team One, take the eastern perimeter. Team Two, secure the loading bay. Nobody enters without authorization.""
A voice responded.
"Copy.""
Then another officer approached the vehicle.
"Detective, we have a problem.""
"What?""
"The property owner is refusing access.""
Harris frowned.
"Who?""
The officer handed him a document.
A woman named Emily Vance was listed as the legal owner.
But the signature authorizing the transfer was not Emily's.
It was Brooke's.
I stared at the page.
"She transferred the building to our daughter?""
"Apparently.""
"Without telling her?""
The officer nodded.
Detective Harris studied the paperwork.
"That may complicate the warrant.""
I looked at him.
"She's being held inside. What exactly are we waiting for?""
He lowered his voice.
"We need legal authority to enter the property unless there's clear evidence of immediate danger.""
A loud metallic bang came from inside the warehouse.
Then another.
I opened the car door.
"Ethan!"" Harris shouted.
I stepped into the rain.
The guard near the entrance approached.
"Sir, this is private property.""
"My daughter is inside.""
He shook his head.
"I can't let you through.""
I looked at his jacket.
"Who gave you that order?""
"Mr. Morrison.""
I took a step closer.
"Chad?""
The guard didn't answer.
Then a familiar voice came from behind him.
"Let him through.""
Chad emerged from the shadows.
He wore a dark overcoat and held a phone against his ear.
His hair was wet.
His face was calm.
Too calm.
"Chad," I said.
"Ethan.""
"Where is Emily?""
"She's safe.""
"Then bring her out.""
He looked at the police officers.
"You brought an audience.""
"She's my daughter.""
Chad gave a humorless smile.
"Now you remember that?""
I clenched my jaw.
"What do you want?""
"The original files.""
I glanced at Laura, who had arrived in the second police vehicle.
She held the leather folder against her chest.
"These?"" I asked.
Chad nodded.
"Hand them over.""
"Let Emily go first.""
He shook his head.
"That's not how this works.""
I stepped closer.
"Then explain how it works.""
Chad glanced at the officers.
"Your daughter stole confidential documents. She trespassed into company property. She's involved in an investigation she doesn't understand.""
"She's twenty-two years old.""
"Old enough to destroy everything.""
His expression changed.
"Do you know what your father did, Ethan?""
I looked at him.
"My father is dead.""
"That doesn't mean his decisions disappeared.""
Chad took a small folded document from his coat.
"Your father and mine created an agreement in 1998. Your father needed capital. My family provided it.""
I stared at the paper.
"That agreement expired.""
"Did it?""
He unfolded it.
The document was old, yellowed, and stamped with a corporate seal.
"Your father agreed that if Vance Industries ever reached a certain valuation, my family would receive a controlling interest.""
I shook my head.
"That's impossible.""
"Your father signed it.""
"Then why has your family never claimed it?""
Chad smiled.
"Because your father added a condition.""
"What condition?""
Chad looked toward the warehouse.
"He gave the controlling interest to his firstborn child.""
I stared at him.
"Me.""
Chad shook his head.
"No. Emily.""
The rain seemed to grow louder.
"You're lying.""
"Your father knew about her. He knew Brooke was pregnant. He knew you weren't ready to become a father. So he created a trust that would protect her interests.""
I turned toward Laura.
She looked shocked.
Whitmore stepped out of the police vehicle.
"That document is incomplete.""
Chad laughed.
"Of course you'd say that.""
Whitmore approached slowly.
"I helped draft the original agreement. I know exactly what it contained.""
He pointed at the document.
"That is page three. There were seven pages.""
Chad's smile disappeared.
Whitmore continued.
"And the clause you're quoting was conditional on the company remaining under Ethan's direct ownership.""
Chad looked irritated.
"Meaning?""
"Meaning the moment you transferred those shares into your family's holding company, the agreement became invalid.""
I looked at Chad.
"So you never owned anything.""
His face hardened.
"Your father promised my family something.""
"Then take it up with him.""
Chad stepped closer.
"You think this is funny?""
"No.""
I looked at the warehouse doors.
"I think my daughter is inside, and you're wasting time.""
For several seconds, Chad said nothing.
Then he raised his phone.
"Bring her out.""
Two security guards disappeared through a side entrance.
A minute later, Emily emerged.
Her hands were free.
Her coat was missing.
There was a red mark on her wrist.
I ran toward her.
"Emily!""
She rushed into my arms.
I held her tightly.
"I'm here.""
She began crying.
"I'm sorry, Dad.""
"Don't apologize.""
"I should have told you everything sooner.""
I pulled back enough to look at her face.
"You don't owe me an explanation. You're safe now.""
She nodded.
But then she grabbed my jacket.
"Don't let them take the folder.""
I looked toward Laura.
Chad was already moving toward her.
One of his guards reached for the leather folder.
Detective Harris immediately stepped between them.
"Nobody touches anything.""
Chad raised his hands.
"Fine. Take it.""
He smiled.
That smile made my stomach tighten.
Emily whispered:
"Dad, the folder isn't the important part.""
I looked down at her.
"What do you mean?""
She glanced toward the warehouse.
"I found something else inside.""
"What?""
She swallowed.
"Your father's original recordings.""
Whitmore went completely still.
"What recordings?""
Emily looked at him.
"Videos. Documents. A handwritten letter.""
"Where?""
"Inside the office upstairs.""
She turned toward me.
"Grandpa knew Chad's father was planning to take the company. He recorded a conversation between them.""
I stared at her.
"How did you find it?""
"Because the warehouse was transferred to my name three weeks ago.""
Brooke had signed the paperwork.
But why?
Emily continued.
"I found the box behind a false wall. It had my name written on it.""
Whitmore looked shaken.
"That box was supposed to be destroyed.""
Chad suddenly lunged toward the warehouse entrance.
Two officers grabbed him.
"Let me go!""
Detective Harris pushed him against the vehicle.
"You're under arrest for questioning.""
Chad struggled.
"You have no idea what you're doing!""
I stepped toward him.
"What was in that box?""
He stopped struggling.
For a moment, he looked directly at me.
Then he smiled.
"Ask your father.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"My father is dead.""
Chad leaned closer.
"Then ask the man who helped him fake his death.""
Silence.
Whitmore's face drained of color.
I turned toward him.
"What did he just say?""
Whitmore didn't answer.
"Samuel?""
He looked at the ground.
I stepped closer.
"Did my father fake his death?""
The old man finally raised his eyes.
And the expression on his face told me more than any document could.
"Your father didn't die twelve years ago, Ethan.""
I staggered backward.
"What?""
Whitmore swallowed.
"He disappeared because he discovered what Chad's family was planning.""
I looked toward the warehouse.
Emily held my arm.
Laura covered her mouth.
Even Detective Harris seemed unable to speak.
Then Whitmore said the words that destroyed everything I thought I knew about my family.
"Your father has been alive this entire time.""
My phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
One message.
*Ethan, if you want to know why your father disappeared, come alone. And whatever you do, don't trust Samuel.*
I slowly raised my eyes toward Whitmore.
May you like
He was already staring at my phone.
And he looked terrified.
