Chapter 5 - MIDNIGHT AT UNION STATION
Union Station was almost empty.
Renley had never seen it like that.
During the day, thousands of people moved beneath its enormous ceiling.
At midnight, every footstep echoed.
Vincent wanted her in the car.
Renley followed anyway.
Marcus whispered:
“She really doesn't listen.”
Vincent kept walking.
“I noticed.”
The digital clock above the concourse changed.
11:51.
Nine minutes.
They moved toward the locker hallway.
317 stood near the end.
Red door.
Brass lock.
No Claire.
Renley ran forward.
“Mom?”
Vincent caught her arm.
“Slow.”
“Don't touch me.”
“Someone wants us here.”
“My mother is here.”
“We saw a photograph.”
Renley ripped her arm free.
“You saw Walter's photograph of my mother too. How many things are you going to hide before you decide one is real?”
That stopped him.
Marcus took position near the hallway entrance.
Vincent examined locker 317.
“No wires. No visible damage.”
Renley held the key.
Vincent looked at her.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
“Renley.”
“Walter left it for me.”
“He left it because he trusted you.”
“Exactly.”
“That doesn't mean he wanted you opening it alone.”
Renley pushed the key into the lock.
It turned.
CLICK.
Everyone froze.
Renley slowly opened the red metal door.
Inside was a black envelope.
Nothing else.
Vincent reached for it.
Renley grabbed it first.
Written across the front:
FOR CLAIRE'S DAUGHTER.
Renley's hands shook.
She opened it.
Inside were five photographs.
The first showed Vincent twenty years younger.
The second showed Walter.
The third showed Eleanor.
The fourth showed a man Renley didn't recognize.
The fifth made her knees weak.
Her mother.
Claire.
Standing beside all of them.
On the back of the photograph, Walter had written:
THE FIVE OF US KNEW.
ONLY FOUR WALKED AWAY.
Renley looked at Vincent.
“Who's the man?”
Vincent took the picture.
His face hardened.
“Daniel Cross.”
“Who is he?”
“My brother.”
Renley stared.
“Where is he now?”
“Dead.”
A woman's voice came from behind them.
“No, he isn't.”
Renley turned.
Claire Hart stood at the end of the hallway.
Her mother looked completely different.
Hair pulled back.
Black jacket.
No purse.
No frightened expression.
And in her hand was a gun.
“Mom?”
Claire's face broke when she saw Renley.
“Oh, sweetheart.”
Renley stepped toward her.
Vincent grabbed her shoulder.
Claire raised the weapon.
“Let go of my daughter.”
Vincent did.
Slowly.
Renley looked between them.
“You know him.”
Claire's eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
“You knew Walter.”
“Yes.”
“You told these people I was dead.”
Claire flinched.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because it kept you alive.”
Renley felt anger burn through the fear.
“Everybody keeps saying that!”
The station clock changed.
11:58.
Claire moved closer.
“Give me the envelope.”
“No.”
“Renley.”
“No!”
Vincent stepped forward.
“Where is Daniel?”
Claire looked at him.
“You still think Daniel betrayed you.”
“You told Walter he did.”
“I was wrong.”
“Eighteen years is a long time to be wrong.”
Claire's jaw tightened.
“No, Vincent. Eighteen years is a long time to pretend you don't know what your own family did.”
Marcus suddenly spoke from behind them.
“Vincent.”
Something in his voice was wrong.
Vincent turned.
Marcus's gun was pointed directly at him.
Renley's stomach dropped.
Vincent did not look surprised.
“Marcus.”
“I'm sorry.”
“No, you're not.”
Claire raised her weapon toward Marcus.
“Put it down.”
Marcus smiled sadly.
“You still don't understand.”
Footsteps echoed from both ends of the station.
Men appeared.
Six.
Eight.
Ten.
Renley realized they were surrounded.
Marcus looked at the clock.
11:59.
Then he looked at Claire.
“You were told to come alone.”
Claire whispered:
“I did.”
Vincent frowned.
Marcus smiled.
“The girl wasn't supposed to be here.”
The lights went out.
Darkness.
A gunshot exploded.
Renley screamed.
Someone grabbed her.
She fought.
Another gunshot.
Then another.
A hand covered her mouth.
A man's voice whispered against her ear.
“Don't scream, Renley.”
She froze.
The voice continued.
May you like
“Walter sent me.”
The station clock changed to midnight.
