Chapter 3 - The Brother's Confession
Nathaniel stared at the blood on the leather seat.
His hands shook uncontrollably as he picked up his wife's shattered phone.
Suddenly, the screeching of tires echoed through the empty docks.
Three black SUVs surrounded him in a tight, aggressive circle.
Armed private security contractors stepped out of the heavy vehicles.
From the lead SUV, his younger brother Andrew emerged.
Andrew's face was a mask of pure, unrestrained anger.
Before Nathaniel could speak, Andrew lunged forward and punched him hard in the jaw.
Nathaniel stumbled backward against the sedan.
"Where is she?" Andrew screamed, grabbing Nathaniel by the collar.
"I was tracking her phone," Nathaniel choked out, tasting blood in his mouth.
"You abandoned her to die while you were with your mistress!" Andrew yelled.
"I hired a private medical extraction team to pull Clare out of that hospital."
"I was going to take her to a secure clinic where she would actually be safe from your toxic lifestyle."
Nathaniel looked at his brother in stunned silence.
"You took her?" Nathaniel asked quietly.
"My team picked her up at midnight," Andrew confessed bitterly.
"But they never made it to the clinic."
Andrew pointed a shaking finger at the bloody sedan.
"My men were ambushed on the highway."
"Someone intercepted the transport and slaughtered my entire security detail."
Nathaniel felt his stomach drop as the horrifying pieces slowly connected.
"Vanessa," Nathaniel whispered in terrifying realization.
He walked to the trunk of the sedan and popped the lock.
Inside the trunk lay the bodies of Andrew's two private medics.
Pinned to one of their chests was a crisp, white envelope.
Nathaniel tore it open with trembling fingers.
May you like
The note inside was written in elegant, feminine calligraphy.
"Sign over the Atlantic shipping routes by noon, or your beautiful wife bleeds to death."
