Chapter 8 - The Bloody Coat
The distorted voice filling the stolen car sent a terrifying chill straight down Norah's spine.
Dominic slammed his fist aggressively against the dashboard, desperately trying to shut the radio off.
It completely failed to work.
"I know Silas is actually alive," Senator Whitmore's voice echoed menacingly through the small cabin.
"And I know he is the one who really killed my daughter."
Norah leaned forward instantly, her heart racing with a sudden glimmer of hope.
"If you know the truth, then call off the police!" Norah shouted directly at the radio, hoping it was a two-way frequency.
"Call off Detective Miller and clear my name!"
The Senator laughed, a dry, completely humorless sound that offered no comfort.
"Detective Miller is already dead, Norah."
"Silas executed him roughly twenty minutes ago."
"Silas has violently seized control of my primary shipping ports, and he has a small army of mercenaries holding my entire campaign staff hostage."
Dominic gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned completely white.
"What exactly do you want, Senator?" Dominic demanded angrily.
"I want the only single thing Silas actually cares about right now," the Senator replied coldly.
"He deliberately left a specific item in Valerie's penthouse."
"A gruesome trophy he took to prove he was the one who actually pulled the trigger."
"He wants it back, and I want you to trade it for my innocent staff."
Dominic's eyes narrowed in deep suspicion.
"I don't have anything from the penthouse."
"I wasn't even there tonight."
"Check your trunk, Dominic," the Senator suggested with a smooth, sickening confidence.
"Silas's men placed it in your SUV before the crash, hoping the police would find it and immediately arrest you."
Dominic pulled the car over violently, the tires screeching loudly against the curb.
He killed the engine and grabbed the keys tightly.
He marched directly to the back of the car and popped the trunk open.
Norah and Lily scrambled quickly out of the back seat to look inside.
There, sitting innocently on top of the spare tire, was a white cashmere coat.
The sleeve was stained with a single drop of red wine from the restaurant incident.
But the entire front of the expensive coat was completely soaked in dark, dried blood.
Norah covered her mouth, recognizing Valerie's designer coat instantly.
"Silas planted this to guarantee you would go down for the murder," she whispered in horror.
Dominic stared at the bloody fabric, his jaw clenched impossibly tight.
"He wants us to deliver this to the docks to exchange for the political hostages."
"It's a blatant ambush."
"He will kill us the absolute second we step out of the car."
Norah looked at the terrified expression on Lily's young, pale face.
She thought about the innocent campaign workers currently held at gunpoint.
"We have to do it, Dominic," Norah said firmly, stepping forward.
"We can't just let them die for Silas's revenge."
Dominic looked at her, his hardened expression softening for a tiny fraction of a second.
"You are far too brave for your own good, Norah."
He reached into the dark trunk to grab the bloody cashmere coat.
As he lifted the heavy fabric, a small, black object fell out of the pocket and clattered onto the pavement.
It was a cheap burner phone.
And it was currently vibrating violently with an incoming call.
Norah bent down, picked it up, and hit the answer button.
May you like
The voice on the other end belonged to Leo Grant, the manager of the restaurant.
"Is the package fully secured?" Leo asked quietly.
