Chapter 10 - THE NIGHT SILAS ALMOST DIED
The warehouse stood beside a deserted road.
Its windows were broken.
Its loading doors were rusted.
Silas parked beneath a flickering streetlight.
He stepped out slowly.
“Tommy?”
No answer.
He entered through a side door.
The interior smelled of oil and damp concrete.
A single overhead light illuminated a folding chair.
Tommy stood beside it.
Silas stopped.
“Where's the witness?”
Tommy looked at him.
“There is no witness.”
Silas felt his stomach tighten.
“What is this?”
Tommy laughed bitterly.
“You always thought you were the smartest man in the room.”
Silas stared.
“Tommy.”
“Twenty years,” Tommy said. “Twenty years I cleaned up your problems.”
“You were paid.”
“Paid?”
Tommy's expression twisted.
“You got the empire. I got the blood on my hands.”
Silas looked toward the shadows.
He sensed movement.
“You're working with Derek.”
Tommy smiled.
“Now you're catching up.”
Silas took a breath.
“Vincent found the transfers.”
Tommy said nothing.
“You helped cover them.”
“He was going to destroy everything.”
“And Carmela?”
Tommy looked away.
Silas stepped forward.
“What happened to my wife?”
“I don't know.”
“Don't lie to me.”
Tommy's voice rose.
“I don't know! She disappeared before anyone found her.”
Silas stared.
For weeks, he had imagined Tommy searching beside him.
Now he realized the man had been helping conceal the truth.
“You knew Vincent was in danger.”
Tommy's face hardened.
“He should have stayed out of it.”
Silas felt a wave of disgust.
“He was protecting his daughter.”
Tommy laughed.
“You didn't care about her until she vanished.”
The words struck.
Because they were true.
Silas looked at him.
“No.”
He swallowed.
“I didn't.”
Tommy raised a handgun.
“Then you understand why this has to end.”
Silas did not move.
Outside, sirens began approaching.
Tommy turned sharply.
“You called the police?”
Silas looked at him.
“Yes.”
Tommy's expression collapsed.
“You betrayed me.”
Silas shook his head.
“You betrayed everyone.”
A shout came from outside.
“Police! Put down the weapon!”
Tommy looked toward the door.
Then back at Silas.
For a terrible second, Silas thought he would shoot.
Instead, Tommy lowered the gun.
It fell onto the concrete.
Officers entered.
Tommy was arrested.
Silas stood motionless as the man he had trusted for twenty years was led away.
Later, Detective Ruiz approached.
“You did the right thing.”
Silas laughed bitterly.
“It's a little late for that.”
Ruiz studied him.
“Late doesn't mean meaningless.”
Silas looked toward the river.
“Do you think Carmela is alive?”
Ruiz hesitated.
“We're following every credible lead.”
He nodded.
Then asked the question that had haunted him for months.
“If she is alive, do you think she'll ever forgive me?”
Ruiz looked at him.
“That's not something the police can answer.”
Silas lowered his eyes.
For the first time, he understood that finding Carmela and winning her back were not the same thing.
May you like
One was a search.
The other was a choice only she could make.
