Chapter 38 - The Bait
The FBI created a fake wallet.
Not real cryptocurrency.
Not real victim money.
Digital bait.
The public story was simple.
An anonymous source claimed the Keller family had discovered information in Marcus Hale’s letters that could unlock millions in hidden assets.
Within six hours, three financial blogs repeated it.
Within twelve, a local reporter called Nick.
Within eighteen, the prepaid phone rang again.
Leon.
“You found it.”
Nick looked at Agent Cho.
She nodded.
“Yes,” he said.
A pause.
“How much?”
Nick smiled without humor.
“You tell me.”
Leon laughed.
“Better.”
“Better than what?”
“The insecure salesman Marcus met at the gym.”
I saw Nick's jaw tighten.
Leon continued.
“You know Marcus laughed at you?”
“No.”
“He said you were the easiest target in Iowa.”
Nick closed his eyes.
I squeezed his hand.
Leon was trying to reopen the oldest wound.
The trick worked for half a second.
Then Nick said calmly, “Marcus was right.”
Everyone looked at him.
Leon went silent.
Nick continued.
“I was easy.”
“You admit that?”
“Why wouldn't I?”
“Because men hate humiliation.”
“I survived mine.”
For the first time, Leon sounded irritated.
“I want the phrase.”
“I want my family left alone.”
“You don't have leverage.”
“I have what you want.”
“Then give it to me.”
“Face-to-face.”
I stared at Nick.
That had not been scripted.
Agent Cho's eyes sharpened.
Leon laughed.
“There he is.”
Nick looked at Cho.
She held up one finger.
Continue.
“Public place,” Nick said.
“No police.”
“You know I can't promise that.”
Another unscripted line.
I wanted to strangle him.
Leon seemed amused.
“You finally learned honesty.”
“Expensive education.”
“Tomorrow. Noon.”
“Where?”
“I’ll call.”
The line disconnected.
Agent Cho removed her headset.
“That was not the plan.”
Nick nodded.
“No.”
“Why did you request face-to-face?”
“Because he wants control.”
“I know.”
“He won't take instructions from us. He needed to think the meeting was his choice.”
Agent Cho stared.
“You are not an agent.”
“I know.”
“Do not freelance again.”
“I won’t.”
I folded my arms.
“Does that promise include marriage?”
Nick looked guilty.
“Especially marriage.”
The next day, Leon called at eleven forty-three.
Location: an abandoned drive-in theater outside the city.
Perfect place for paranoia.
Open land.
Multiple exits.
Few civilians.
Law enforcement teams moved into position.
Nick wore a wire.
He also wore the expression of a man pretending not to be terrified.
Before he left the command vehicle, Nora hugged him.
“Come home.”
“I will.”
“Don't promise what you can't guarantee.”
He smiled.
“My own parenting is attacking me.”
“Good.”
He kissed her forehead.
Then he turned to me.
Thirty years collapsed between us.
The storm.
The hospital.
The fraud.
Counseling.
Nora.
Arthur.
Everything.
“You don't have to prove anything,” I said.
“I know.”
“Say it again.”
“I do not have to prove anything.”
“Good.”
He kissed me.
Then walked toward the empty drive-in screen.
Leon arrived eight minutes late.
He drove an old black sedan.
He stepped out slowly.
Cancer had hollowed him.
Thin face.
Gray skin.
Expensive coat hanging loose from narrow shoulders.
He looked almost fragile.
Almost.
“Nick Keller.”
“Leon Voss.”
Leon smiled.
“Thirty years.”
“Long time to hold a grudge.”
“Long time to hold my money.”
“It isn't yours.”
Leon’s smile vanished.
“There.”
“What?”
“That moral superiority.”
Nick shook his head.
“You think I feel superior?”
“You built a career talking about being a victim.”
“No. I built a career talking about being stupid.”
From the monitoring van, even Agent Cho smiled.
Leon stepped closer.
“The phrase.”
“First tell me why Caleb.”
Leon shrugged.
“His father embarrassed me.”
“Thirty years ago.”
“I have an excellent memory.”
“That sounds exhausting.”
Leon’s face hardened.
Then he said something unexpected.
“Marcus wanted you to have the money.”
Nick froze.
“What?”
“He hated me before he died.”
“Join the club.”
“He encoded the wallet so only someone with your letters could find it.”
“Why me?”
Leon smiled.
“Because Marcus believed you had become honest enough not to steal it.”
The irony hit everyone.
Nick looked down.
Then back up.
“He was right.”
Leon extended one hand.
“Give me the phrase.”
Nick slowly reached into his coat.
Agents prepared.
I stopped breathing.
He pulled out a folded piece of paper.
Leon stepped forward.
Then suddenly looked left.
Something had caught his attention.
A reflection.
A scope.
A vehicle.
His entire body changed.
He ran.
“Move!” Agent Cho shouted.
Agents surged.
Leon reached the sedan.
Nick did not chase him.
Thank God.
Instead, he dropped flat behind a concrete barrier.
Leon drove straight through a rusted gate.
Federal vehicles followed.
Within ninety seconds, the radio exploded with commands.
Then—
Crash.
Silence.
Agent Cho listened.
Her face eased.
“They have him.”
My knees weakened.
Nick stood in the field.
Alive.
Not heroic.
Not reckless.
Just alive.
When he returned, I hit his chest.
Hard.
“Ow.”
“That was for improvising.”
“Fair.”
Then I hugged him.
Behind us, agents pulled Leon Voss from a wrecked sedan.
The man who had spent decades believing he could manipulate everyone had finally made the simplest mistake.
May you like
He believed Nick still needed to prove himself.
He didn't.
