Chapter 2 - The Unlikely Ally
I stared at the severed brake line until my vision blurred with angry tears.
My father owned a struggling auto repair shop on the edge of town.
He was the only person who had access to that specific, customized clamping tool.
I knew going to the local police would be entirely useless.
The police chief was my father's weekly poker buddy and would never believe my story.
I needed someone completely outside of my father's corrupt circle of influence.
I grabbed my shattered phone and carefully plugged it into the wall charger.
The cracked screen flickered to life, revealing dozens of missed calls from an unknown number.
I dialed the number, and a deep voice answered on the first ring.
The man introduced himself as Liam Vance, an insurance fraud investigator.
He told me the circumstances of the crash had triggered a massive red flag in their system.
My father had taken out a massive life insurance policy on me just two weeks ago.
Liam offered to help me expose my father if I agreed to provide an official testimony.
I told him about the severed brake line and my stolen backpack.
He promised to come to the hospital immediately to collect the physical evidence.
Just as I hung up the phone, the heavy wooden door to my room slowly creaked open.
Olivia stepped inside, looking nervously over her shoulder.
She had a small bandage on her forehead but otherwise looked perfectly fine.
She did not apologize or ask how I was feeling.
Instead, she quickly shoved a crumpled piece of paper under my pillow.
She whispered that she was incredibly sorry for telling Dad about my secret escape plan.
Before I could even reply, she turned and sprinted out of the room.
I reached under the pillow and unfolded the damp paper with trembling hands.
May you like
The note contained only one terrifying sentence.
Dad is coming tonight to sign the medical release forms and pull your life support.
