Chapter 50 - The Shattered Illusions
Tyler fell to his knees in the filth, the brittle papers scattering across the muddy water. The century-old ink ran into gray smudges under the splash of rain.
"No... no, no, no," Tyler whimpered, clawing at the soaked parchment. "There had to be something. Richard said... Richard swore Thomas had hidden four million dollars in gold bearer scrip beneath the crest."
"Richard is an idiot who has spent sixty years looking for shortcuts to replace hard work," I said, lowering the shotgun slightly but keeping my finger near the trigger guard. "He invented the myth of Thomas's secret fortune to excuse his own bankruptcy. And you were foolish enough to believe him."
The two hired men on the wall glared at Tyler with pure venom.
"You brought us out here for eighty-year-old garbage?" the larger man spat, stepping forward, his hands dropping from his head. "You promised us twenty grand apiece tonight, kid!"
"Stay back!" Julian barked, swinging his barrels toward the man, who instantly froze again. "Nobody moves until the authorities arrive."
"The phones are cut, old man," the second thug sneered. "Who’s calling the authorities? The dead ancestors?"
"I don't need a telephone to summon the county sheriff," I replied. "When the alarm system on my gun safe is tripped by an unauthorized key, a battery-powered radio transmitter signals the substation in town. Sheriff Bradley was notified twenty minutes ago. He knows to look for me at the old crypt."
As if summoned by my words, the distant, mournful wail of sirens cut through the rainy night, drifting down through the cracked stone ceiling from the road above.
May you like
Tyler looked up at me, tears cutting clean lines through the dirt on his cheeks. "Grandmother... please. Don't let them take me. I have three warrants. They’ll send me to state prison. Please... I’m your grandson. I’m blood."
"Blood is a biological accident, Tyler," I answered, looking down at him without a shred of pity left in my soul. "Honor, loyalty, and decency are choices. You chose this grave. Now you will lie in the bed you made."
