Chapter 14 - The Dual Key
The heavy steel door of the shipping container slammed shut with a sickening thud.
The exterior padlock clicked into place, plunging the four of us into complete, suffocating darkness.
The only sliver of light filtered through a narrow ventilation grate near the ceiling.
For several minutes, the only sound was the ragged breathing of four terrified people.
"Marcus," Lauren whispered through the pitch-black air.
"Marcus, I know you hate me, but you have to get us out of here."
"Shut up, Lauren," I replied coldly, leaning my head against the cold steel wall.
"Don't talk to me."
"I am sorry, Marcus, I swear I am sorry!" Lauren wept, her voice dripping with desperate manipulation.
"David forced me into this from the very beginning!"
"He told me he would kill me if I didn't help him set you up!"
A bitter laugh escaped from the darkness across from us.
It was Olivia.
"You are a lying sociopath, Lauren," Olivia spat, her voice trembling with pure disgust.
"You sat in that cabin drinking wine, laughing about how stupid Marcus was."
"You told me we were going to live like royalty on a beach in Spain."
"You used me, just like you used your husband."
"Both of you be quiet," Detective Vance commanded in a sharp, authoritative whisper.
I heard the sound of rustling fabric and the faint clinking of metal.
"Detective?" I asked quietly.
"What are you doing?"
"I spent thirty years on the force, Marcus," Vance whispered back.
"I keep a flat ceramic blade concealed inside the lining of my leather belt."
"They patted me down for guns, but they didn't check the seam."
A faint scraping noise echoed in the corner of the container.
Ten seconds later, Vance let out a sharp breath of relief.
"My hands are free," Vance announced softly.
A tiny spark of hope ignited in my chest for the very first time in twenty-four hours.
"Vance, can you cut the rest of us loose?" I asked.
May you like
"I will cut you loose, Marcus," Vance replied grimly, his footsteps shuffling through the dark toward me.
"Because you are the only one smart enough to help me save my daughter."
