Chapter 10 - The Secret Voicemail
The silence that settled over the living room after the police departed was heavy and suffocating. The broken front door hung loosely off its hinges, letting in the cool night breeze, while shards of kitchen glass glittered under the harsh overhead light. Sarah slumped onto the edge of the leather sofa, burying her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking with silent, exhausted sobs.
Marcus didn't run to comfort her right away. His eyes were glued to the coffee table where his actual smartphone rested. The screen was dark except for a single notification icon indicating an unheard voicemail. Without thinking, he crossed the room, picked up the device, and pressed play, holding the speaker up to his ear on speaker mode so his mother could hear as well.
A distorted, synthesized voice hummed from the small speaker, followed by the sound of heavy wind and distant traffic: "If you're hearing this, little Miller, your old man just took the fall for a crime he didn't even finish committing today. The flash drive your mom is holding? It’s a dead drop. If she turns it in to the feds, they won't clear your dad—they'll bury him deeper to protect the politicians who were taking kickbacks from the syndicate. Meet me at the old rail yard by midnight if you want the real proof."
The audio cut out with a sharp static click.
Sarah dropped her hands from her face, her eyes wide with sheer panic and disbelief. "A dead drop? Politicians? Marcus, we need to call the police back right now. We need to tell them about this message!"
"No, Mom, listen to what he said!" Marcus argued, his voice rising in panic. "If we give the feds that flash drive, they’re going to use it to frame Dad permanently just to close the case quickly! That guy Caleb... he said Dad took the fall for something bigger."
Sarah looked down at her clenched fist, where the metal flash drive was still hidden. The sharp edges had drawn a tiny bead of blood on her palm. She stood up slowly, her maternal instinct warring violently with her fear of the unknown. For twenty years, she had trusted a man who had lied to her about his past, but right now, looking at her son’s terrified face, she knew she couldn't just sit here and let her family be destroyed by unseen enemies.
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"Get your jacket, Marcus," Sarah said, her voice dropping into a steady, resolute register that surprised them both. "We're going to the rail yard."
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