They Sold a Boy 180 “Dead” Starters for $65 — Then the Dealership Called Him Back
Chapter 10
Caleb arrived at the abandoned plant with the police twenty minutes later.
His mother was inside.
So was Marcus Sloan.
And somewhere in the building was his father.
The police surrounded the property.
Caleb stood behind a patrol car.
A detective approached.
“You stay here.”
“No.”
“You’re seventeen.”
“My mother is inside.”
“We know.”
“My father too.”
“We know.”
“I can identify him.”
The detective shook his head.
“You don’t go inside.”
Caleb nodded.
Then he noticed a side entrance.
An old loading door.
The lock was broken.
He understood immediately.
Marcus hadn’t expected police to arrive this quickly.
Caleb slipped away before anyone could stop him.
Inside, the plant smelled like oil and rust.
Machines sat beneath plastic sheets.
Old assembly lines disappeared into darkness.
Then he heard his mother’s voice.
“Caleb!”
He ran.
Marcus stepped into view.
He was tall.
Gray-haired.
Calm.
A pistol in his hand.
Behind him was Caleb’s mother.
Beside her stood Daniel.
Caleb stopped.
His father looked directly at him.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Daniel whispered:
“Son.”
Caleb’s eyes filled with tears.
“You came.”
Daniel smiled sadly.
“I promised.”
Marcus laughed.
“Beautiful reunion.”
Caleb looked at him.
“Let them go.”
“Where’s the data?”
“You have the server.”
“I want R.A.W.”
Caleb reached into his backpack.
He had copied the files before leaving the dealership.
He held up the drive.
“Here.”
Marcus smiled.
“Give it to me.”
Caleb stepped forward.
His father shook his head.
“Don’t.”
Marcus pressed the gun against Caleb’s mother’s head.
Caleb stopped.
“Okay.”
He handed over the drive.
Marcus inserted it into a laptop.
Files appeared.
His smile widened.
“Perfect.”
Daniel stared.
“You won’t understand what you’re holding.”
Marcus laughed.
“I understand perfectly.”
He opened the files.
Then his smile disappeared.
“What’s this?”
Caleb smiled.
“A copy.”
Marcus looked at him.
“Where’s the real data?”
“Already uploaded.”
“To whom?”
“The police.”
Marcus’s face hardened.
“You little—”
A siren sounded outside.
Marcus grabbed Caleb’s mother.
Daniel lunged.
A shot rang out.
Daniel fell.
“DAAD!”
Caleb rushed toward him.
Police stormed the building.
Marcus ran.
Officers chased him through the plant.
Caleb knelt beside Daniel.
Blood spread across his shirt.
“Stay with me.”
Daniel looked at him.
“I’m sorry.”
“No.”
“I should have come home.”
“Don’t talk.”
“I missed you.”
Caleb cried.
“I missed you too.”
Paramedics arrived.
They rushed Daniel away.
Marcus escaped through a rear tunnel.
But the police had the files.
Within hours, federal investigators seized Northstar’s offices.
The R.A.W. data revealed years of manipulated accident claims.
Dozens of businesses were implicated.
Several arrests followed.
But Marcus remained free.
Three days later, the dealership called Caleb again.
This time, the voice wasn’t Frank’s.
It was Evelyn.
“Caleb.”
“What?”
“We found something.”
“What?”
“The original starter.”
Caleb frowned.
“I thought you had it.”
“We recovered the module.”
“Then what?”
“The starter itself contains another compartment.”
Caleb’s heart stopped.
“What?”
“Your father knew.”
“How?”
“We don’t know.”
“What’s inside?”
Evelyn hesitated.
“Something addressed to you.”
Caleb drove to the hospital.
Daniel was recovering.
His mother sat beside him.
Caleb showed him the photograph of the starter.
Daniel closed his eyes.
“I hoped you’d never find it.”
“What is it?”
“My final proof.”
“Proof of what?”
Daniel looked at him.
“Who ordered the entire operation.”
Caleb’s heart raced.
“Marcus?”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
“Then who?”
Daniel whispered:
“The person who owns Lakeview Motors.”
