Chapter 9 - The Camera That Went Dark
“Drop it,” Carlo said.
Lorenzo lowered his weapon.
Lydia watched Mateo.
He was afraid.
But conscious.
That mattered.
Blackwood walked forward.
“So this is the famous maid.”
Lydia said nothing.
“You've caused considerable trouble.”
“I've been told.”
“Do you know what I admire about you?”
“No.”
“You understand survival.”
He offered her a folder.
“Your nursing license. Restored. Full settlement. Two million dollars.”
Lydia looked at it.
“And?”
“Walk away.”
Lorenzo didn't look at her.
Blackwood smiled.
“Your father couldn't.”
Lydia took the folder.
Carlo laughed softly.
Lorenzo's face remained unreadable.
Blackwood said, “Smart woman.”
Lydia opened the folder.
Then tore it in half.
“I've been poor before.”
She dropped it.
“I can do it again.”
Blackwood's smile disappeared.
Carlo tightened his grip on Mateo's chair.
“You think this family cares about you?”
“No.”
That surprised everyone.
Lydia looked at Mateo.
“He does.”
Mateo blinked.
Once.
Lorenzo's eyes shifted toward her.
“And that's enough.”
Blackwood raised his weapon.
A gunshot cracked.
Not from Blackwood.
Vincent stumbled from a side doorway, blood soaking his shirt.
He had somehow escaped.
Carlo spun.
Lorenzo moved.
Chaos erupted.
Lydia threw herself behind Mateo's chair and released the brake.
She pulled him sideways as shots tore into the wall.
Lorenzo struck Blackwood.
Vincent collapsed.
Carlo fired toward Mateo.
Lydia shoved the wheelchair into an examination room.
The bullet struck the frame.
She locked the door.
Mateo's breathing was rapid.
“You hit?”
No.
“Good.”
She checked him.
Then heard a groan outside.
Vincent.
Lydia opened the door enough to see him bleeding heavily.
Every instinct screamed at her to stay with Mateo.
Every year of nursing told her Vincent would die without pressure on the wound.
This was the man who had helped destroy her career.
The man who had opened the door to assassins.
She crawled toward him anyway.
Vincent looked up.
“Why?”
“Because I'm a nurse.”
“You hate me.”
“Yes.”
She pressed against the wound.
“That doesn't change what I am.”
Vincent laughed weakly.
“Frank said you'd be like this.”
Lydia froze.
“You knew my father?”
“He tried to save me.”
“What?”
Vincent coughed.
“Carlo recruited me. Years ago. Your father found out. Told me to get out.”
“Why didn't you?”
“Coward.”
His eyes filled.
“I chose money.”
Lydia increased pressure.
“Save the confession. Breathe.”
“Carlo has another copy.”
“Of what?”
“The evidence.”
“Where?”
Vincent looked toward Mateo.
“Inside... chair.”
Lydia stared.
Mateo's wheelchair.
A hidden compartment.
Before she could ask more, the building went black.
Emergency lights failed.
Somewhere in the darkness Lorenzo shouted her name.
Then a single gunshot echoed.
“Lorenzo!”
No answer.
Lydia reached blindly for Mateo.
His chair wasn't where she'd left it.
Her hand found empty floor.
Then the building's security monitors suddenly activated all at once.
Every screen showed the same image.
May you like
Mateo's empty wheelchair.
And someone slowly pushing it toward an open elevator.
