Chapter 116 #34: Time To End This
David parks two blocks away from Pier 17 and walks the rest. The night is cold, with the wind coming off the river in sharp gusts. Loading dock C is lit by one sodium lamp that flickers every few seconds. The warehouse behind it is dark, showing no signs of either cars or human movement.
He steps into the circle of light.
Vincent steps out from the shadows of the dock doors wearing a black coat with his deep hands in pockets. David is pretty sure there’s a concealed weapon in those pockets.
“You came,” Vincent says, stepping closer.
“You asked nicely.”
He smiles. “Show me.”
David lifts the leather-bound ledger and the will. “Here.”
He doesn’t move closer. “Open the ledger. Show me page forty-seven.”
David flips to it, revealing a list of names and dollar amounts. He holds it up so Vincent can see.
Vincent nods once. “Good. Now put them on the ground and step back ten paces.”
David sets them down carefully, then walks backward, counting the steps.
Vincent moves forward, picks up the books, and flips through the ledger quickly. Then he looks at David.
“Where’s Lucy?” David asks.
He tucks the ledger under his arm, and frowns. “What the hell are you talking about?”
David keeps his voice even. “You said this was a trade.”
“I said serious consequences if you disobeyed.” He pulls a gun from his coat and points it at David’s chest. “Hands up.”
David raises them slowly.
Vincent takes a step closer. “Turn around.”
David does.
Vincent pats him down and when finds nothing, he steps back. “Sit.”
David lowers himself to the cold concrete underneath his legs.
Vincent crouches in front of him, holding the gun steady. “You really thought you could sweep in and take everything I worked so hard for and expect no consequences?”
David doesn’t answer.
Vincent studies him for a long moment. “You have no idea, do you? You and Nora never even bothered going through Malcolm's will.”
Now it's David’s turn to be confused. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Vincent looks genuinely surprised. “You really don’t know?”
“Know what?”
“Lucy is yours.” He deadpans.
David stares at him. “You did a DNA test.”
Vincent nods slowly. “The very day she was born. I suspected from the beginning to be honest. The timeline never quite lined up. I waited until she arrived and had one of the nurses do a DNA test. When the results came out negative, I knew immediately that she was yours.”
The words hang between them.
Vincent continues. “I read Malcolm’s will the same day I read the DNA results. He left three point two billion to any grandchildren he might have. He explicitly stated that since Nora had chosen to desert him, he wanted nothing to do with her. But he still needed someone to will all he had to and so he left it for the next generation.”
He pauses to let the words sink in.
David stares at Vincent for a few seconds and the realization slowly dawns on him “You were going to kill Nora.”
Vincent smiles. “Eventually... yes. In an accident or something. Anything that wouldn’t point back to me. Then I’d be the grieving widower and sole guardian to Lucy. And since she isn’t of legal age yet, all the inheritance money would come to me. Three point two billion buys a lot of new identities.”
Rage moves through David but he keeps shut and listens. Meanwhile, at his back, he begins working on the bonds at his wrists.
Vincent keeps talking. “But but unfortunately along the line, I fell in love with Nora and I couldn’t do it. I decided to start a life with her instead and make things work. But you!” he jabs an angry finger at David. “You just had to come back and ruin everything! As much as I tried to ignore it, I saw the way she looked at you right from the moment you stepped into that interview. You took my wife and my child all in one single moment!”
David watches his face. There’s no lie there. Just regret. Deep, ugly regret.
“You’re not Shadow,” he says quietly. “Do you actually even have Lucy?”
He looks at David again, confusion twisting his features. “Lucy's gone?”
“She is,” David keeps talking to buy just enough time to keep working on the bonds binding his arms. “And she's sick. Severe aplastic anemia. She needs a bone marrow transplant. Soon. The hospital called yesterday morning with the results. The doctor said the odds are seventy percent if we move fast, but drop to twenty if we wait.”
Vincent looks honestly horrified with the news.
David continues. “She was kidnapped the very day you stormed out of the house. We thought you had her and that’s the only reason I’m here right now. With every moment you waste here, a man named Shadow holds my–“ he corrects himself quickly, “your child hostage. You need to let me go so I can find her.”
Vincent stands abruptly and in one fell swoop, aims the gun right at David's head. “You think I’m a fool?!” he shouts. “You think a few pretty words and lies about my daughter will buy your way out of this?!”
“I’m not ly–“
“Shut up!” he yells, stepping closer. David, sensing that time is running out, works on the bonds even faster, and finally feels the knot begin to give slightly. “I’m done letting you get away with whatever and whoever you want. You are nothing but a punk ass bitch and even if I never get Nora back, one thing that will give me the most satisfaction is knowing I'm the one that got to wipe you from existence."
His finger clicks off the gun's safety, then he stands back and takes aim. "I hope you said your goodbyes, because today is the last time I ever have to see your slimy little face again. Goodbye David.”
Just as Vincent’s finger tightens on the trigger, the knots finally give just enough for David to slip a hand free, then he jerks away just as the gun goes off, missing him narrowly.
He looks up and finds Vincent re-aiming the gun.
He recovers quickly, stands up from the floor, and lunges right towards Vincent. The gun goes off again and for a brief moment, the world stills.
No one breathes. No one moves.
Then hot, wet, pain explodes deep in David's stomach and he stumbles back, clutching the bullet wound in his gut. He falls over, hitting the ground hard as images begin to swim along his vision.
Vincent steps closer and aims the gun at his temple. "See, this is the exact kind of shenanigans that I won't miss. Time to ends this."
David sees the barrel. Sees his finger on the trigger.
He sees Lucy’s tiny face looking up at him in curiousity the day they met at Nora's office. He sees Nora’s face beaming at him as she told him she was pregnant for the first time.
He sees her eyes as he kissed her goodbye just before he left her apartment three hours ago.
He smiles, contentedly as he begins to lose consciousness.
Then the world goes black just as he hears the final shot go out.
BLAM!