Chapter 2 - The Dark Basement
I froze completely as the cold metal dug painfully into my lower back.
A familiar voice whispered that I should have stayed at the hospital with my broken son.
It was my brother, Marcus.
I slowly raised my hands and asked him why he was doing this to his own family.
Marcus laughed bitterly and told me I had no right to talk about family loyalty.
He reached out and snatched the small penlight from my trembling fingers.
The sudden darkness felt suffocating as he shoved me hard against the concrete wall.
I demanded to know where the black ledger was.
Marcus proudly stated that the ledger had already been moved to a secure location where I would never find it.
He explained that our father was not trying to hide his own crimes in that book.
He claimed the book was meant to hide the terrible things I had done during my mental breakdown.
I told him he was a liar and a coward for attacking a terrified child.
I lunged forward in the dark and swung my fist blindly toward his voice.
My knuckles connected hard with his jaw, sending him stumbling backward into the washing machine.
The revolver clattered loudly across the concrete floor.
I dove toward the sound of the sliding weapon.
My fingers brushed against the cold steel handle just as heavy boots pounded on the floorboards directly above us.
The basement door flew open, spilling harsh yellow light down the wooden stairs.
I expected to see my father standing there.
Instead, three uniformed police officers marched quickly down the steps with their weapons drawn.
I felt a surge of relief and immediately raised my hands to surrender to them.
Marcus spat blood onto the floor and smiled a wicked, terrifying smile.
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He looked at the officers and told them they were late for the cleanup.
One of the cops aimed his shotgun directly at my chest and told me to get on my knees.
