Chapter 1

The iron hissed steam onto Leo' s graduation gown.

It was too fancy, this gown, for a kid who just wanted to build things.

MIT, his acceptance letter still taped to the fridge. Valedictorian.

My son.

A knot formed in my chest, part pride, part something else, something heavy I' d carried for years.

My phone buzzed. Victoria.

"Michael," her voice was flat, like a dead line.

"Leo' s graduation is this afternoon, Victoria. Are you..."

"There' s a problem at the old north quarter industrial freezer. You should go. Now."

"What problem? Is Leo okay?"

A small, dry laugh. "He got into a little fight. With Chad. Chad was just trying to talk to him."

My blood ran cold. Chad. Her latest boy toy, young enough to be my son, arrogant and cruel.

"What did Chad do?"

"Leo needs to learn respect, Michael. I left the key on the main console in the security office. You might want to hurry."

She hung up.

The old freezer was on a disused part of our sprawling Texas estate, a place we never went.

I ran, the half-ironed gown forgotten on the board.

The security office was empty, the key lying where she said. Heavy, cold metal.

The walk to the freezer felt like miles. The air was still, hot.

The freezer door was massive, industrial. I fumbled with the key, my hands shaking.

It creaked open into darkness and a smell.

Blood.

I flicked the light switch. Nothing.

My phone' s flashlight cut through the gloom.

And then I saw him.

Leo.

He was on the floor, a grotesque sculpture of pain.

Heavy-duty construction spikes, hundreds of them, pinned him. Through his arms, his legs, his chest.

His eyes fluttered open.

"Dad?" His voice was a whisper, broken.

I dropped to my knees, a scream caught in my throat.

"Leo, oh god, Leo."

"They... they said Mom wanted to teach you... a lesson."

His eyes, so bright, so full of future, were clouded with agony.

"MIT, Dad. I got in. I was... valedictorian." A cough, blood flecked his lips.

"I wanted to make her proud."

"I' m proud, Leo. I' m so proud." Tears streamed down my face, hot and useless.

I reached for him, terrified of causing more pain.

"Don' t... Dad."

His breathing hitched.

"Love you."

His eyes closed.

He was gone.

My son. Dead in my arms.

The world went silent.

Then, a clang from outside. The heavy freezer door thudded shut. A locking mechanism engaged.

Trapped. With my dead son.

My phone. I still had it.

911. My voice was a raw sound, barely human.

"My son... he' s been murdered... I' m locked in... industrial freezer... Sterling estate..."

I gave the address, the details, a torrent of broken words.

They said help was on the way.

How long? How long could I sit here, with Leo growing cold?