Chapter 5 - BACK TO BLACKWATER
Rain began falling before they reached Blackwater Road.
Clara recognized the curve immediately.
She had seen it in newspaper photographs after her mother disappeared.
Daniel leaned close.
“Clara, listen to me.”
One guard glanced backward.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“When I tell you to run, run.”
Clara stared at him.
“Why should I trust you?”
Pain crossed his face.
“You shouldn’t.”
Vanessa turned around.
“Quiet.”
The SUV stopped near the abandoned pumping station above the river.
Vanessa ordered everyone out.
Daniel stepped between Clara and the guards.
“She stays in the car.”
“No.”
“She’s a child.”
“She’s leverage.”
Daniel stared at Vanessa.
“I helped you because you promised Clara would never be involved.”
Vanessa laughed.
“You helped me because you were greedy.”
“That doesn’t mean—”
“You forged documents.”
Daniel went silent.
“You bribed people.”
Vanessa stepped closer.
“You lied to your daughter for three years.”
Daniel looked at Clara.
Vanessa smiled.
“Don’t suddenly pretend you’re a father.”
They entered the pumping station.
Clara noticed Vanessa still carried her mother’s necklace.
“Why do you have that?”
Vanessa touched it.
“This?”
“It belongs to Mom.”
Vanessa smiled.
“I took it from her.”
Daniel looked surprised.
“When?”
“The night of the crash.”
“You told me it went into the river.”
“I lied.”
Daniel stared at her.
Vanessa shrugged.
“You should understand.”
A phone rang.
Vanessa answered.
“Evelyn.”
Clara’s heart jumped.
Vanessa switched to speaker.
“Where is my daughter?”
Evelyn’s voice filled the room.
Vanessa smiled.
“Closer than you’d like.”
“If you hurt her—”
“You’ll what?”
“I’ll finish this.”
Vanessa laughed.
“You’ve been hiding for three years.”
“Not hiding.”
Evelyn paused.
“Building.”
Vanessa’s smile weakened.
“What?”
“Did Daniel never tell you what my father taught me?”
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
Evelyn continued.
“Never attack until you know exactly where your enemy keeps his money.”
Daniel went pale.
Vanessa stared at him.
“What does she mean?”
Daniel said nothing.
Evelyn answered.
“It means every account you created is frozen.”
Vanessa’s face changed.
“Every shell company.”
Silence.
“Every property.”
Vanessa looked at her phone.
“No.”
“And the forty-three million dollars you moved offshore yesterday?”
Evelyn’s voice sharpened.
“Gone.”
Vanessa slapped Daniel.
“You said those accounts were protected!”
Daniel stumbled backward.
“I didn’t know.”
Vanessa screamed.
Clara flinched.
Then headlights appeared outside.
One vehicle.
Vanessa smiled.
“Finally.”
The pumping-station door opened.
A woman stepped inside.
Clara forgot how to breathe.
Her hair was shorter.
A thin scar crossed her temple.
She looked older.
Harder.
But Clara knew her.
“Mom?”
Evelyn looked at her daughter.
Three years disappeared from her face.
“Baby.”
Clara ran.
One guard grabbed her.
“No!”
Evelyn stopped.
“Let her go.”
Vanessa pulled a gun.
“Not another step.”
Daniel stared at the weapon.
“You said no guns.”
Vanessa laughed.
“You really are stupid.”
Evelyn looked at Daniel.
“You brought my daughter here?”
“I didn’t have a choice.”
“You always have a choice.”
Vanessa aimed the gun at Evelyn.
“Give me access to the accounts.”
“No.”
“I’ll hurt Clara.”
Evelyn’s expression didn’t change.
“You won’t.”
“Why?”
“Because you need her.”
Vanessa smiled.
“Maybe.”
Then Daniel moved.
He slammed into Vanessa.
The gun fired.
Clara screamed.
Daniel collapsed.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Vanessa stared at him.
May you like
For one stunned second, everyone froze.
Then Arthur crashed a truck through the pumping-station doors.
