Chapter 6 - THE FOOTAGE
For one terrible second, Naomi thought Julian had been hit.
Then she saw him crawl behind his car.
The bullet had shattered the driver’s-side window.
“Stay down!” Naomi shouted.
Trevor swung the weapon again.
Marcus drew his licensed sidearm but held his fire.
“Trevor! Drop the gun!”
The witness was still crouched behind the pickup.
Vanessa had dropped to the wet pavement.
Trevor’s face was wild.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen!”
Naomi kept the concrete pillar between herself and the muzzle.
“It already happened. Put it down.”
“Shut up!”
“Police are coming.”
Trevor looked toward Vanessa.
Her mascara was running in the rain.
“Tell him!” he shouted.
Vanessa shook her head.
“Trevor—”
“Tell him!”
“What?”
“That this was your idea!”
Julian’s head lifted behind the car.
Vanessa’s expression collapsed.
“Don’t listen to him!”
Trevor laughed.
“Oh, now I’m the problem?”
“Put the gun down!”
“You told me to bring it!”
“I never said shoot anyone!”
The witness shouted from behind the truck.
“She paid me too!”
Vanessa spun.
“You shut your mouth!”
Sirens grew louder.
Trevor looked around.
His breathing became erratic.
Naomi recognized the moment.
Fight.
Flight.
Or surrender.
“Trevor,” she said calmly. “Look at me.”
He did.
“You have one good decision left.”
He swallowed.
“Put the gun on the ground.”
Vanessa screamed, “Don’t!”
Everybody looked at her.
She realized her mistake instantly.
Trevor stared.
“You don’t want me arrested.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“I didn’t mean—”
“You don’t want me talking.”
“You’re confused.”
“No.” Trevor laughed. “I’m finally not.”
The gun slipped from his hand.
It hit the pavement.
Marcus moved instantly, kicking it away.
Police vehicles flooded the lot.
Officers swarmed the loading area.
Vanessa tried to run.
She made it six steps.
An officer stopped her.
“What are you doing?” she screamed. “I’m Vanessa Sterling!”
The officer looked unimpressed.
“Congratulations.”
Naomi almost laughed.
Julian came around his vehicle.
Blood was running down his cheek from broken glass.
Vanessa saw him.
Her face softened instantly.
“Julian.”
He stared at her.
“Don’t.”
“Baby, please.”
“Don’t call me that.”
She looked wounded.
“It’s not what you think.”
Julian glanced at Trevor in handcuffs.
Then at the gun.
Then at the terrified witness.
“I’m running out of alternative explanations.”
The witness lifted both hands.
“I’ll give you everything.”
A detective approached him.
“Starting with your name.”
“Eddie Sloan.”
Julian went still.
“You were Rachel’s mechanic.”
Eddie looked at him.
“Yes.”
Julian took a step closer.
“You inspected her car after the crash.”
Eddie lowered his eyes.
“Yes.”
Naomi understood.
The pieces were connecting.
Julian’s voice shook.
“What did you do?”
Eddie looked toward Vanessa.
She shook her head frantically.
“Don’t.”
Eddie turned back.
“Your sister’s brakes were damaged before the crash.”
Julian’s face went empty.
“What?”
“I found the line cut.”
“No.”
“I was paid to replace the damaged parts before the insurance investigator saw them.”
Julian staggered.
Naomi caught his arm.
He pulled away, not from anger but because he suddenly couldn’t stand still.
“My sister nearly died.”
Eddie nodded.
“I know.”
“Who paid you?”
Eddie pointed.
At Vanessa.
Vanessa screamed.
“He’s lying!”
Eddie looked exhausted.
“I kept the dashcam copy because I figured one day she’d try to bury me.”
Julian’s voice came out hoarse.
“What’s on it?”
Eddie looked at the laptop.
“Your sister’s camera was running when someone followed her out of the parking garage.”
Julian swallowed.
“Who?”
Eddie turned the laptop toward him.
Naomi saw the frame.
A black SUV.
Clear plate.
And behind the wheel—
Trevor Miles.
But that wasn’t the worst part.
In the passenger seat sat Vanessa Sterling.
Julian stared at the screen.
Vanessa whispered, “I can explain.”
Then Eddie clicked to the next clip.
And Rachel’s voice filled the rainy loading dock.
“If anything happens to me, Julian needs to know Vanessa stole from the foundation.”
Julian stopped breathing.
The recording continued.
“And she’s not marrying him for love.”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
Rachel’s voice trembled.
“She’s marrying him because of what she thinks she’ll control after the wedding.”
The clip ended.
Julian slowly turned toward his fiancée.
And Vanessa finally realized the engagement was over.
But Naomi noticed something else.
A second file sat inside the dashcam folder.
Its title was only three words.
May you like
RACHEL — AFTER CRASH.
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