Chapter 6 - THE MOTHER WHO CAME BACK
Metal screamed.
Glass exploded.
One guard dove aside.
Arthur’s truck smashed through the doors and slammed into a concrete pillar.
“Clara!”
Evelyn ran.
The second guard reached for her.
Arthur struck him with the truck door.
Clara twisted free.
“Mom!”
She collided with Evelyn.
Evelyn dropped to her knees and wrapped both arms around her.
Clara buried her face against her mother.
She remembered that smell.
Lavender.
Soap.
Home.
“You came back.”
“I came back.”
“You really came back.”
“I’m never leaving you again.”
A gun clicked.
Vanessa stood behind them.
“Touching.”
Evelyn slowly stood.
She placed Clara behind her.
Daniel groaned on the floor.
The bullet had struck his shoulder.
Vanessa pointed the gun at Evelyn.
“Give me the account access.”
“There is no access.”
“You’re lying.”
“The money is under federal hold.”
Vanessa’s face twisted.
“You ruined my life.”
“No.”
Evelyn looked at her.
“You did.”
Vanessa fired.
Evelyn pulled Clara down.
The bullet hit the wall.
Arthur tackled Vanessa.
The gun skidded across the floor.
Daniel grabbed it.
Everyone froze.
He pointed it toward Vanessa.
She laughed.
“You won’t shoot me.”
Daniel’s hand shook.
“You shot me.”
“Accidentally.”
“You threatened Clara.”
Vanessa stepped closer.
“You need me.”
“No.”
“You’ve always needed me.”
Daniel looked at Evelyn.
Then Clara.
His daughter’s face held nothing but fear.
Fear of him.
Daniel lowered the weapon.
Sirens sounded outside.
Vanessa’s eyes widened.
“You called police?”
Evelyn nodded.
“Not the local police.”
Federal agents flooded the building.
Vanessa ran.
She reached a side door.
Arthur shouted.
“She’s heading for the river!”
Vanessa disappeared into the storm.
Two agents followed.
Evelyn held Clara.
Daniel remained on the floor.
An agent approached him.
“Daniel Whitmore?”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
“You’re under arrest.”
Clara watched handcuffs close around her father’s wrists.
Daniel looked at her.
“Clara.”
She turned away.
Evelyn covered her daughter’s ears as agents read Daniel his rights.
But Clara could still see him.
Her father.
The man who tucked her into bed.
The man who taught her to ride a bicycle.
The man who lied about her mother.
As Daniel was taken outside, another agent rushed inside.
“Vanessa reached the river.”
Evelyn stood.
“Did you get her?”
The agent hesitated.
“We found blood near the cliff.”
Arthur frowned.
“And Vanessa?”
“No sign of her.”
Clara looked at her mother.
Evelyn’s face went pale.
Three years earlier, the same river had swallowed the truth.
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Now Vanessa had disappeared beside it.
But this time, Evelyn knew better than to believe a missing body meant someone was dead.
