Chapter 10 - THE HOUSE OF LIES
Federal agents poured through the windows.
Vanessa grabbed Margaret.
A knife appeared against the elderly woman’s throat.
“Back!”
Everyone stopped.
Evelyn entered through the main doors.
“Let her go.”
Vanessa laughed.
“There she is.”
Evelyn looked at her mother.
Margaret was weak but conscious.
“Evelyn?”
“I’m here, Mom.”
Margaret began crying.
“I knew.”
“I know.”
Vanessa pressed the blade closer.
“Touching.”
Daniel stepped toward her.
“Take me instead.”
Vanessa stared at him.
“You?”
“You wanted a way out.”
He held up car keys.
“There’s a vehicle outside.”
Vanessa laughed.
“You betrayed me.”
“Yes.”
“And now you expect me to trust you?”
“No.”
Daniel looked at Clara, who was watching from behind an armored vehicle outside.
“I expect you to hate me enough to want me alive.”
Vanessa smiled.
“Finally, you understand me.”
She shoved Margaret toward Evelyn.
Then grabbed Daniel.
“Keys.”
He handed them over.
They backed toward the garage.
An agent raised his weapon.
Evelyn shouted, “Don’t!”
Vanessa and Daniel disappeared.
Seconds later, an engine roared.
Clara ran inside.
“Grandma!”
Margaret opened her arms.
Clara hugged her.
Three generations held each other in the ruined ballroom.
Then Evelyn’s phone rang.
Daniel.
She answered.
His voice was barely audible.
“She’s going to the airfield.”
“Which one?”
“Whitmore Industrial.”
Vanessa shouted in the background.
Daniel spoke faster.
“She has a plane.”
The call ended.
Evelyn looked at the agents.
“Move.”
At the airfield, Vanessa dragged Daniel toward a private jet.
“You think you’re a hero now?”
“No.”
“You think Clara will forgive you?”
“No.”
“Then why are you doing this?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Because she shouldn’t have to spend the rest of her life wondering whether I ever loved her.”
Vanessa stopped.
Daniel smiled sadly.
“I did.”
Then he grabbed her.
They fell onto the runway.
Vanessa screamed.
Daniel held on.
Police vehicles approached.
Vanessa struck him repeatedly.
He refused to release her.
Finally, officers surrounded them.
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
“You ruined everything.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
“Evelyn did.”
“No.”
He looked directly at her.
“We did.”
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The handcuffs closed around Vanessa’s wrists.
For the first time in three years, Evelyn Whitmore’s enemies had nowhere left to run.
