Chapter 8 - The Fire Beneath Hayes Industrial
Hayes Industrial Supply occupied five floors of an old brick manufacturing building in Albany.
Walter had worked there since he was nineteen.
His father’s first office still existed on the second floor.
His children had played hide-and-seek through the warehouse aisles.
Rebecca had taken her first summer job there.
Now black smoke was rising from the basement windows.
Fire crews arrived as Walter’s convoy turned onto the street.
Rebecca grabbed his arm.
“The archive room.”
“Where?”
“Behind Grandpa’s old machine shop.”
Walter knew the room.
It had been sealed for decades.
“How did you get inside?”
“I found Dad’s old renovation plans.”
Rebecca explained while firefighters ran past.
Six years earlier, she had discovered Richard’s fraud.
She copied account ledgers, audio recordings and contract files onto encrypted drives.
She hid them inside a retired pneumatic control box mounted behind a false panel.
Only she knew the encryption phrase.
Walter looked toward the burning building.
“Richard knows?”
“He knows the evidence exists.”
Frank stopped Walter from entering.
“Fire department only.”
Rebecca pointed toward the east service tunnel.
“There’s another entrance.”
Walter stared.
Rebecca smiled faintly.
“Grandpa built this place during the Cold War. He apparently expected an invasion.”
Walter almost laughed.
Federal agents entered through the tunnel with firefighters.
Walter stayed outside with Marianne and Noah.
Three explosions shook the lower floor.
Windows burst.
Employees gathered behind police barricades.
Then Grant arrived in an ambulance.
Walter couldn’t believe it.
Grant had been released from emergency surgery into federal custody and insisted on speaking.
Agents wheeled him toward Walter.
Grant’s face was nearly white.
“Richard has a second exit.”
Walter stared down at him.
“Why help us?”
“Because he’ll kill Noah if he gets another chance.”
“You lost the right to say my grandson’s name.”
Grant closed his eyes.
“I know.”
Rebecca stepped forward.
Grant saw her.
For the first time in six years, husband and wife stood face to face without a locked door between them.
Rebecca did not scream.
She didn’t slap him.
Her calm was worse.
“You told me my father hated me.”
Grant looked down.
“You told me Noah died.”
Grant began crying.
“You made me sign papers while I was drugged.”
“I’m sorry.”
Rebecca took one step closer.
“No, you’re afraid.”
Grant had no answer.
Rebecca looked at the federal agents.
“Take him away.”
As they wheeled him back, Grant shouted:
“Richard uses the river tunnel!”
Walter turned.
An old industrial tunnel ran beneath the property toward the Hudson.
Frank radioed the teams.
Minutes later, agents spotted Richard.
He was carrying a metal evidence case.
Walter saw him emerge near the loading dock.
“Richard!”
Richard turned.
For one second, the two old men stared across the yard.
Then Richard ran.
Walter followed.
“Walter!” Frank shouted.
Richard entered Warehouse Three.
Walter followed him inside.
Sprinklers were running.
Smoke drifted beneath the ceiling.
Richard climbed the steel stairs to the catwalk.
Walter pursued him.
“You should have stayed retired!” Richard yelled.
“You should have stayed my friend!”
Richard laughed.
“I was never your friend.”
He reached the upper platform.
Below them, flames crawled through stored packaging material.
Walter moved slowly.
“Give me the evidence.”
“You mean your family’s precious company?”
“I don’t care about the company.”
Richard looked genuinely surprised.
Walter continued.
“You never understood that.”
“I spent forty years building it.”
“And you destroyed people because you wanted your name on the door.”
Richard’s hand slipped into his coat.
Walter stopped.
“Don’t.”
Richard pulled a gun.
Then Rebecca’s voice came over the warehouse intercom.
“Richard.”
He froze.
She had accessed the system from outside.
“The drive you’re carrying is worthless.”
Richard stared toward the ceiling speakers.
Rebecca continued.
“I changed the encryption before you took me.”
Richard’s face twisted.
“You’re lying.”
“The phrase isn’t a password.”
Rebecca paused.
“It’s Noah’s heartbeat.”
Walter frowned.
Then understood.
Years ago, Rebecca had saved an ultrasound audio file during pregnancy.
The encryption used that waveform.
Something Richard could never guess.
Richard looked down at the case.
For the first time, he appeared defeated.
Then he smiled.
“If I can’t own it…”
Walter saw the detonator in his other hand.
“…nobody does.”
Richard pressed the button.
Nothing happened.
Again.
Nothing.
Frank’s voice came from behind him.
“Bomb squad disabled the receiver four minutes ago.”
Richard spun.
Agents filled the stairwell.
His gun moved toward Walter.
Rebecca screamed through the intercom.
“Dad!”
A shot rang out.
May you like
Walter fell.
And Rebecca’s scream echoed through the burning warehouse.
