Sheriff Cole Bennett stepped in front of Eli the moment Marissa emerged from the darkness.

The knife glinted under the flashlight beam.

“Drop it,” Cole ordered.

Shadow’s growl echoed through the warehouse.

But Marissa didn’t attack.

Instead, she looked directly at Eli.

“Eli, please,” she said. “Tell him the truth.”

The boy buried his face against Cole’s shoulder.

“No!”

Cole tightened his grip on the child.

“Stay back.”

Marissa slowly lowered the knife and placed it on the concrete floor.

“What are you doing here?” Cole demanded.

Her eyes filled with tears.

“I was trying to find him.”

Cole frowned.

“That’s not what it looks like.”

“I know.”

The warehouse suddenly filled with the sound of approaching sirens outside.

Backup was finally arriving.

For a brief moment, relief crossed Cole’s face.

Then Eli whispered something that made his blood run cold.

“Don’t trust Deputy Harris.”

Cole froze.

“What?”

Eli looked up, trembling.

“He’s the reason Dad died.”

The sheriff stared at him.

Deputy Ryan Harris had worked beside Cole for seven years.

A decorated officer.

Trusted by everyone.

“That’s impossible,” Cole said.

“It’s true,” Eli replied. “Dad found out.”

Marissa took a cautious step forward.

“Daniel discovered someone was using his repair business to move stolen equipment across state lines. He recorded everything.”

Cole looked between them.

“Then why hide Eli?”

“Because Daniel left evidence,” Marissa said. “And after he died, someone started looking for it.”

The sirens outside stopped.

Vehicle doors slammed.

Cole reached for his radio.

Static.

Nothing else.

Then Shadow’s ears suddenly stood straight up.

The dog turned toward the warehouse entrance and growled harder than before.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the darkness.

A familiar voice called out.

“Sheriff? You in here?”

Deputy Harris.

Cole felt a knot form in his stomach.

Harris stepped into view with two officers behind him.

His expression looked concerned.

But Shadow immediately bared his teeth.

Harris noticed.

“That dog got a problem with me?”

Eli’s entire body started shaking.

“That’s him,” the boy whispered.

Cole carefully moved Eli behind him.

“Harris,” he said slowly. “How did you know we were in this section of the warehouse?”

For the first time, Harris hesitated.

Just for a second.

Then he smiled.

“Lucky guess.”

Cole’s hand drifted toward his holster.

The two officers behind Harris exchanged nervous glances.

Marissa suddenly spoke.

“The flash drive, Ryan.”

The smile vanished from Harris’s face.

“What flash drive?” Cole asked.

Marissa looked directly at the sheriff.

“The one Daniel hid before he died.”

Silence.

Then Harris laughed.

A cold laugh.

“You should’ve stayed out of this.”

The two officers behind him stepped away in confusion.

“Harris?” one asked.

But Harris was already reaching inside his jacket.

Shadow exploded forward.

Cole drew his weapon.

Eli screamed.

And in that split second, everyone realized the missing boy had never been the real target.

The flash drive was.

And whatever was on it was important enough for someone to kill to keep it hidden.

To be continued… 😱