Chapter 7 - The Husband I Had to Save
My father said no immediately.
“You are not going.”
“I didn't say I was.”
“You were thinking it.”
He knew me too well.
Detective Ruiz examined the message.
“They want the recording.”
“Why?”
“Because it connects Flynn directly to conspiracy and attempted murder.”
“They could destroy my watch and still have police copies.”
“Maybe they don't know copies exist.”
That gave us an opportunity.
We responded.
PROVE HE'S ALIVE.
Five minutes later, a video arrived.
Flynn raised his face.
“Claire.”
Someone struck him.
The video ended.
I felt something unexpected.
Not love.
Not forgiveness.
But horror.
No matter what Flynn had done, watching a human being tortured was different from imagining justice.
Ruiz saw my expression.
“Compassion isn't weakness.”
“He tried to kill me.”
“Yes.”
“And my parents.”
“Yes.”
“I shouldn't care.”
“Those things can all be true at once.”
The kidnappers gave us a location.
An abandoned marina warehouse.
Midnight.
Of course.
Everything returned to midnight.
Police prepared a controlled exchange.
I insisted on participating.
At 11:58 p.m., I entered the warehouse wearing a concealed transmitter.
Flynn sat tied beneath a hanging light.
Victor Sloane stepped from the shadows.
He was older than I expected.
Gray suit.
Calm eyes.
“You look remarkably healthy for a dead woman.”
“You look remarkably comfortable for a kidnapper.”
He smiled.
“Watch.”
I held it up.
“Flynn first.”
Sloane laughed.
“You still think this is a negotiation.”
Behind him, Flynn lifted his head.
“Claire, don't.”
I looked at him.
Our eyes met.
For the first time, I saw shame.
Real shame.
Sloane reached for the watch.
I stepped back.
“You financed the entire thing.”
“Flynn came to me.”
“He planned my murder?”
“He planned your fortune.”
Flynn closed his eyes.
Sloane continued.
“Your husband was ambitious. I simply gave ambition structure.”
Police were recording every word.
I needed more.
“And my parents?”
“Necessary.”
Flynn shouted, “Leave them out of this!”
Sloane turned and struck him.
That was the distraction Ruiz needed.
Police entered.
Chaos erupted.
Sloane ran.
Flynn fell sideways.
I rushed to him and cut the rope.
“Why?” I demanded.
“I was greedy.”
“That's not enough.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
His eyes filled.
“Because I hated being poor more than I understood what becoming rich would cost.”
Police captured Sloane outside.
Flynn was arrested the moment paramedics cleared him.
As officers led him away, he stopped beside me.
“I did love you eventually.”
I looked at him.
“No.”
His face broke.
“You loved how I made you feel about yourself.”
I stepped away.
“That's not the same thing.”
Flynn lowered his head.
For the first time, he had nothing to say.
But the nightmare wasn't finished.
Sloane's phone contained a scheduled message.
One that had already been sent.
It contained my parents' travel schedule.
Their security details.
Their vehicle identification numbers.
And a payment confirmation to an unknown recipient.
May you like
The attack on my parents had already been purchased.
Flynn was finally in custody—but somewhere outside that station, someone had already been paid to finish his job.
