PART 4 — THE MAN WAS ALREADY INSIDE

Nora couldn’t breathe.

She stared at the back door.

It was closed.

Locked.

At least, she thought it was.

Officer Brooks slowly raised one finger to his lips.

“Don’t move.”

Ray stepped away from the window.

His entire posture changed.

The giant biker who had looked almost helpless in handcuffs only minutes earlier now looked like someone who had spent years learning exactly how to survive dangerous situations.

“Leonard,” Ray whispered.

“What?”

“Which door?”

“The storage room.”

Nora looked toward the narrow hallway behind the counter.

The storage room door was slightly open.

She knew she had closed it that morning.

Brooks moved forward silently.

Ray followed.

Nora stayed beside Leonard.

Then came a sound.

Click.

Everyone froze.

It came from the storage room.

Brooks drew his flashlight and pushed the door open.

Nothing.

Boxes.

Cleaning supplies.

An old refrigerator.

And a back window standing open.

Ray walked toward it.

“Someone came through here.”

Brooks looked down.

There were muddy footprints on the floor.

Fresh ones.

Nora’s voice trembled.

“But how did Leonard know?”

Leonard slowly turned his head.

“Because I heard him.”

“Heard who?”

Leonard pointed toward the ceiling.

“Someone was walking above us.”

Nora frowned.

“Above us?”

The café had an old apartment upstairs.

It had been empty for almost a year.

Brooks immediately looked at Ray.

“Is there another entrance?”

Ray nodded.

“Back staircase.”

They rushed upstairs.

The apartment was dark.

Dust covered almost everything.

But one room was different.

The bedroom.

The bed had been recently moved.

A chair sat directly beneath the window.

And on the floor was a pair of black gloves.

Ray picked them up.

“Still warm.”

Nora felt her stomach drop.

Someone had been there seconds ago.

Brooks suddenly noticed something on the wall.

A photograph.

He wiped away the dust.

It showed Leonard’s late wife.

But beside her stood another man.

Ray stepped closer.

His face went pale.

“I know him.”

Nora looked at him.

“Who?”

Ray didn’t answer.

Leonard did.

“My wife’s brother.”

Brooks stared at Leonard.

“You said your wife’s family had nothing to do with this.”

“I thought they didn’t.”

Leonard reached toward the photograph.

His fingers touched the man’s face.

Then he whispered:

“He died twelve years ago.”

Nobody spoke.

Ray turned the photograph over.

Written on the back was a date.

Tomorrow’s date.

Nora felt a chill run through her.

“That’s impossible.”

Brooks looked toward the window.

“No.”

He pointed at the muddy footprints.

“Someone wants us to believe it’s impossible.”

Suddenly, Leonard smiled.

It wasn’t a happy smile.

It was the first smile Nora had seen from him all afternoon.

Ray noticed.

“You knew we’d find this.”

Leonard said nothing.

Ray stepped closer.

“You knew.”

Leonard finally looked at him.

“I needed you to bring me here.”

Nora’s eyes widened.

“What?”

Ray’s expression hardened.

“You used me.”

Leonard nodded.

“I had no choice.”

Brooks stepped between them.

“Enough. Someone is manipulating all of us. Start explaining.”

Leonard slowly reached inside his coat.

This time, he pulled out something much smaller than the envelope.

A key.

An old brass key.

He placed it in Nora’s hand.

Her fingers closed around it.

“What is this?”

Leonard whispered:

“The key to the place where my wife hid the money.”

Brooks stared.

“What money?”

Leonard looked toward the dark hallway.

“The money everyone has been killing to find.”

Then came a loud crash downstairs.

The front door of Corner Cup had been kicked open.

Multiple footsteps entered.

Ray looked at Brooks.

“How many?”

Brooks listened.

His face tightened.

“At least four.”

Leonard calmly stood up.

Nora stared at him.

“You’re not scared.”

Leonard shook his head.

“No.”

“Why?”

He looked directly at Nora.

“Because they aren’t here for the money anymore.”

Nora’s blood ran cold.

“Then what do they want?”

Leonard pointed toward the key in her hand.

“They want whoever has it.”

A shadow appeared beneath the bedroom door.

Then a man’s voice echoed from the hallway.

“Leonard.”

Everyone froze.

The voice continued.

“You’ve kept us waiting long enough.”

Leonard whispered one final sentence:

“Nora… whatever happens next, don’t give them the key.”

The bedroom door handle began to turn.

And Nora suddenly realized something terrifying.

Leonard hadn’t brought her into this story by accident.

He had chosen her.