Chapter 8 - SOMEONE INSIDE THE HOUSE
Arthur killed the lights.
“Stay down.”
Evelyn pulled Clara behind the kitchen island.
Security agents moved through the house.
A window shattered upstairs.
Then silence.
Evelyn whispered into Clara’s ear.
“Whatever happens, stay with Arthur.”
“No.”
“Clara.”
“I just got you back.”
Evelyn’s face tightened.
“I know.”
“Then don’t leave.”
Before Evelyn could answer, a gunshot sounded upstairs.
Arthur pulled Clara toward the rear exit.
They reached the garage.
The door opened.
A figure stood outside.
Clara screamed.
It was Daniel.
His shoulder was bandaged.
Evelyn raised a weapon.
“How did you get here?”
Daniel lifted both hands.
“They released me temporarily under protective custody.”
Arthur stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because Vanessa contacted me.”
Evelyn froze.
“When?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
Daniel held up a burner phone.
“She knows where you are.”
Another gunshot sounded.
Daniel shouted, “Move!”
They climbed into Arthur’s SUV.
As they sped away, flames appeared in an upstairs window.
Clara stared backward.
“Was that her?”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
“Then who?”
“Someone Vanessa paid.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“How many?”
“I don’t know.”
“You never knew anything.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You think I don’t know that?”
Evelyn said nothing.
Daniel turned toward Clara.
“I’m sorry.”
Clara looked out the window.
“Don’t.”
His face fell.
“Clara—”
“You told me Mom was dead.”
“I thought—”
“No.”
Clara looked at him.
“You knew she might be alive.”
Daniel couldn’t answer.
“You watched me cry.”
“I was scared.”
“So was I.”
Daniel looked away.
Clara’s voice trembled.
“But I was nine.”
No one spoke after that.
Arthur drove them to an old hunting lodge owned by Evelyn’s family.
There were no electronic security systems.
No internet.
No obvious trail.
At midnight, Daniel explained why Vanessa had contacted him.
“She wants the coffin.”
“We have it,” Evelyn said.
“I know.”
“Does she?”
Daniel nodded.
“She wants to trade.”
“For what?”
Daniel looked at Clara.
“No.”
Evelyn stood.
“No.”
“She says she has something you need.”
“I don’t care.”
“You will.”
Daniel placed the burner phone on the table.
A message appeared.
One photograph.
Evelyn’s face changed.
Arthur whispered, “Dear God.”
Clara looked.
The photograph showed a hospital bed.
An elderly woman lay unconscious.
Clara recognized her.
“Grandma?”
Evelyn’s mother.
Margaret.
The family had been told Margaret was receiving private treatment overseas.
Vanessa’s message appeared beneath the photograph.
SHE NEVER LEFT THE COUNTRY.
May you like
Evelyn gripped the table.
Daniel whispered, “Vanessa has had your mother for almost two years.”
