Chapter 2

The silence in the freezer was a living thing, pressing in.

Leo' s blood was sticky on my hands, on my clothes.

I had to call Victoria. She had to know what she' d done, what Chad had done.

Maybe she didn' t understand. Maybe she thought it was just a beating.

Her phone rang, once, twice.

"Michael? Are you still blubbering in that freezer? Did you find your little lesson?"

Chad' s snickering laughter echoed in the background.

"Victoria, Leo... Leo' s dead. He' s dead. Chad killed him."

My voice cracked, broke.

"Oh, please," she scoffed. "Stop being so dramatic. You' re just trying to ruin my weekend. Chad and I are about to leave for the coast. He didn' t kill anyone. A few pokes to teach you both some manners."

"Pokes? He' s impaled, Victoria. Hundreds of spikes. He' s dead."

"You' re lying. You' re always lying, trying to get attention, trying to get money. Chad' s right here, he says Leo ran off after their little chat. Probably sulking somewhere."

"You need to call off your men. Let me out. Let the police in."

"My men? Don' t be absurd. You' re delusional."

She hung up.

Delusional.

I stared at Leo. His peaceful face, now, finally free of pain.

The estate security. They had to have a master override for the freezer.

I dialed the head of security, a man I' d known for years.

"Michael? What' s wrong?"

"John, I' m locked in the old north quarter freezer. Leo... Leo' s with me. He' s hurt. Badly. Victoria... she had something to do with this. Chad."

A pause. Then John' s voice, strained.

"Mr. Sterling, I... I can' t help you with that specific location."

"What do you mean you can' t help? Get me out of here!"

"Mrs. Sterling transferred ownership of that parcel, the old industrial complex, to Mr. Chad last week. It' s private property. His private property. My men don' t have access codes or jurisdiction there anymore. He specifically told us it was off-limits."

Chad owned it. Victoria gave it to him. A playground for his sadism.

My last resort. My father.

He picked up on the fourth ring, his voice already annoyed.

"Michael? What is it now? I hope you' re calling to tell me Victoria finally coughed up some more cash. My creditors are..."

"Dad... Leo' s dead."

The words felt like stones in my mouth.

"Dead? What are you talking about? Don' t be dramatic. Did you piss Victoria off again? I told you, son, you need to learn how to handle that woman. Keep her happy, that' s your job. Leo' s fine, he' s a tough kid. Now, about that money..."

"He was tortured, Dad. Victoria let her boyfriend do it. He' s lying here, in my arms, dead."

"Tortured? Well, what did you do, Michael? You must have provoked her. You know her temper. You need to apologize. Smooth things over. For Leo' s sake, and for mine. Think of the inheritance. Don' t screw this up."

Victim-blaming. Money. That was all he cared about.

My own father.

I ended the call, a hollow laugh escaping me.

Then, sirens. Faint at first, then growing louder.

Footsteps outside the freezer. Shouting.

The clang of metal on metal. The door scraped open.

Light flooded in, blinding me.

Paramedics. Police. Their faces were masks of horror as they saw Leo.

As they saw me, covered in his blood.

One paramedic, a young woman, knelt by Leo. Checked for a pulse.

She looked up at me, her eyes full of pity.

"I' m so sorry, sir. He' s gone."

I knew. But hearing it, from someone else, made it final.

Utterly final.