Chapter 5
The sight of the firearm resting inside the canvas bag instantly shifted the atmosphere in the living room from a routine investigation into a volatile, high-stakes standoff. The lead detective drew her hand away from her holster, signaling the other officer to back up and secure the perimeter near the front door. Elena let out a sharp, choked sob, finally breaking her composure as she covered her mouth with trembling hands. Marcus stared at the weapon, realizing with terrifying clarity how close he had been to violence every single day he lived under the same roof as Terrell.
"Nobody move," the detective ordered, her eyes darting between Marcus and Elena. "Where did he get the piece?"
Marcus took a slow step backward, keeping his hands visible. "I told you, I don't know anything about his weapons. I work at the warehouse all day. I come home, I pay my rent, and I stay out of his way."
The detective studied Marcus's face for a long, agonizing moment, searching for any sign of deception before nodding slightly. She could see the genuine shock and betrayal written across the young man's features. She turned her attention back to Elena, whose stoic facade had completely crumbled into ragged breaths and silent tears.
"Ma'am, you're harboring a fugitive in possession of stolen property and an unregistered firearm," the detective said sternly, stepping toward Elena. "Where is Terrell Vance heading right now? We know he didn't just go to the corner store."
Elena shook her head frantically, her voice trembling. "I don't know! He said he had to meet someone by the rail yards. Just to drop off a package. He swore he’d be right back!"
Marcus’s blood ran cold. The rail yards were on the industrial side of town, completely desolate at this hour. If Terrell was heading there with more stolen cash and a firearm, he wasn't just running an errand—he was preparing to flee the state, or worse, tie up loose ends with whoever helped him pull off the heist. Marcus felt a sudden, burning surge of responsibility. He couldn't just sit here and wait for the police to catch up to him hours later. Terrell had stolen his money, his dignity, and nearly his future.
"He's going to the old loading docks by Sector Four," Marcus blurted out, surprising both the detectives and his mother.
The lead detective narrowed her eyes. "How do you know that?"
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"Because he left his spare burner phone on the kitchen counter this morning," Marcus lied smoothly, stepping toward the counter where Terrell's old jacket hung. "I saw the text flash across the screen before he grabbed it. He’s meeting his cousin to split the final drop."
The detective didn't waste a second. She barked orders into her shoulder radio, calling for backup units to converge on the industrial rail yards immediately. As the officers rushed toward the exit to deploy their vehicles, Marcus grabbed his jacket, ignoring Elena's desperate pleas for him to stay put. He slipped out the back door into the alleyway just as the police sirens began to wail in the distance, determined to track Terrell down himself before the fugitive disappeared forever.
