THE TOWN WHERE ETHAN COLE WASN’T A STRANGER
Chapter 8
The storm arrived at midnight.
Wind shook the windows.
Boats slammed against the docks.
Ethan stood beside Walter at the harbor.
“Where is Anna?”
Walter pointed toward the old warehouse.
“She was seen there.”
Ethan started walking.
Walter grabbed his arm.
“Don’t go alone.”
“I won’t.”
Walter looked at him.
“You don’t know what you’re walking into.”
Ethan looked back.
“Neither did my father.”
The warehouse door was open.
Inside, water dripped through the roof.
A single lamp hung from the ceiling.
Anna was tied to a chair.
Two men stood beside her.
Ethan stopped.
One of them smiled.
“Mr. Cole.”
Ethan looked at Anna.
She was bleeding from her lip.
“Where’s Lily?”
Anna’s eyes filled with tears.
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“Your house.”
Ethan exhaled.
The man smiled.
“You’re becoming predictable.”
“Who are you?”
“Someone who knows your family.”
“I’ve had enough people say that.”
The man stepped forward.
“Your father wasn’t the hero you think he was.”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
“He wasn’t.”
The man smiled.
“Good.”
“Where’s my father?”
The man’s expression changed.
“You still don’t understand.”
“Then explain.”
“Thomas Cole stole something.”
“What?”
“The Black Tide ledger.”
Ethan looked at Walter.
Walter’s face had gone pale.
The man continued.
“Your father thought he could bury it.”
“What was in it?”
“Names.”
“Whose names?”
“Everyone.”
Ethan looked at Anna.
She whispered:
“He’s lying.”
The man turned.
“Shut up.”
Anna looked at Ethan.
“The ledger wasn’t on the boat.”
“Where was it?”
She swallowed.
“With me.”
Silence.
Ethan understood.
“You’re the ledger.”
Anna nodded.
“The names were stored in my memory.”
The man raised his weapon.
Walter stepped forward.
“Put it down.”
The warehouse doors burst open.
Police flooded inside.
Ethan grabbed Anna and pulled her down.
The room erupted into chaos.
When it was over, both men were on the ground.
Walter was bleeding from his shoulder.
Anna was shaking.
Ethan looked toward the harbor.
The storm was beginning to break.
For the first time, Greyhaven felt quiet.
