The Warlord Returns novel · Chapter 12 of 24

Chapter 12: Zero Three Zero Three

Jack's truck was parked behind the hotel, in the dark between two dumpsters.

He sat behind the wheel with Carrie's phone in his hand and the screen lit blue on his face.

"Two tries left," he said. "If this is wrong, it locks for an hour."

"It's right."

"You can't know that."

"She told me." My voice was small. "In the kitchen once. I didn't think about it until tonight."

He nodded.

His thumb hovered over the glass.

Zero. Three. Zero. Three.

The memo opened.

A gray bar, a play arrow, a time stamp.

11:51 p.m.

Jack pressed play.

At first there was only the sound of a refrigerator humming.

I knew that hum.

It was our refrigerator, the old one with the rattle.

Then Carrie's voice.

It came out of the little speaker, whispering.

"Jack. It's Carrie. If you're listening to this, I never got to say it to your face."

Jack made a sound.

I put my hand over my mouth.

"I'm in Jo's kitchen. I'm okay. I'm scared, but I'm okay."

A shaky breath.

"Wyatt is stealing from the Harbor Fund. I have the ledger pages on this phone."

"I need you to take them to somebody honest. You'll know who."

Something in Jack's chest shuddered.

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