Chapter 8: The Station Ambush

👉 Previous choice: You chose Option B – Run to Sam’s van and drive directly to the local radio station transmitter.

Rain began to fall in earnest as I bolted across the street, making a dash for Sam Gable’s van. My heart pounded, adrenaline coursing through me. If I could just get to the radio station, I could broadcast the raw audio.

I yanked open the driver’s side door.

Sam wasn’t there. Instead, Detective Halloway sat in the passenger seat, a grim smile on his face. His hand came up, holding a pair of handcuffs.

“Evening, Leo,” Halloway said, his voice flat. He held up a small, silver object in his other hand—Clara Vance’s missing watch. Its serial number, $3,200, glinted faintly in the dim light.

“Sam just gave a preliminary confession,” Halloway continued, ignoring my frozen stare. “Said you paid him five thousand dollars to record a fake murder tape. For your podcast. For clout.”

My mind reeled. Julian. He must have set this up. He’d tipped them off. Planted the watch.

“That’s a lie!” I shouted, instinctively backing out of the van.

Halloway’s smile vanished. He lunged, but I was faster, scrambling backward. My foot caught on the curb, sending me sprawling onto the wet grass.

“Stay right there, kid!” Halloway yelled, his voice hardening. He reached for his sidearm.

I didn’t wait. The thought flashed through my mind: the police were compromised. There was no one to trust. I pushed myself up and sprinted into the dark, rain-soaked woods bordering our property, the sound of Halloway’s angry shouts fading behind me.

➡️ Read CHAPTER 9 to continue the story