Chapter 7
Leo stared up at the lawyer, trying to read the micro-expressions on Thomas’s face. The man’s eyes were bloodshot, his hands twitching nervously at his sides. In the corporate world, Thomas was known as a shark who could parse a contract to hide millions in offshore accounts, but right now, standing in the dusty vestry, he looked like a man drowning in his own conscience.
"Why should I trust you?" Leo asked, his voice steadying despite his pounding heart. "You watched him zip-tie her hands. You watched him shut the lid."
Thomas closed his eyes for a fraction of a second, a deep shudder running through his frame. "Because I have a son your age, Leo. Down in Atlanta. And when I look at you standing there with that pickaxe and those keys, I realize I’ve spent my entire life building cages for other people's children just to pay off my debts." He took another slow step forward, reaching out an open palm. "Give me the keys, Leo. Let me do one right thing before this day destroys us all."
Before Leo could answer, a loud, violent crash echoed from the main nave, followed by Sarah’s sharp scream. The sound tore through the quiet vestry like a physical blow.
Without waiting for Thomas’s reaction, Leo darted past the lawyer, his small frame slipping through the narrow gap between Thomas and the door frame. "Leo, wait!" Thomas shouted, spinning around, but the boy was already sprinting down the hallway toward the sound of the struggle.
When Leo burst back into the main nave, the scene had escalated to a terrifying degree. Arthur had pinned Sarah against the edge of the baptismal font, one hand clamped tightly around her throat while his other hand desperately searched the floor for the errant revolver. Sarah’s face was turning a dangerous shade of purple as she clawed at his wrist, her breathing ragged and choked.
"Let her go!" Leo screamed, abandoning all caution. He didn't use the pickaxe this time; instead, he hurled the heavy ring of iron keys directly at the back of Arthur’s head with all his might.
The iron ring struck Arthur squarely behind the ear with a sharp, metallic clatter. The larger man grunted, his grip on Sarah’s throat instantly loosening as he stumbled forward, clutching the side of his head with a curse.
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Sarah collapsed against the stone font, gasping for air and coughing violently as she clutched her bruised neck. "Leo... run..." she wheezed, pointing frantically toward the massive oak double doors at the front of the church.
Arthur whirled around, his eyes wild and furious, a dark red welt already forming behind his ear where the keys had struck him. He lunged toward the boy with terrifying speed, his expression twisting into a mask of pure, unadulterated rage. "You little bastard," Arthur snarled, closing the distance between them in three long strides.
