Chapter 6 - BLACKWATER POINT
I did not go alone.
Daniel expected me to.
That was his first mistake.
His second was believing I was still the woman who obeyed him.
Agent Reed fitted me with a microphone.
Dad hated the plan.
“I’m going with you.”
“No.”
“Claire.”
“He’ll see you.”
“I don’t care.”
“I do.”
Dad stared at me.
I took his hand.
“You protected me when I couldn’t protect myself.”
I swallowed.
“Let me do this.”
At 11:47 p.m., I drove toward Blackwater Point.
Federal agents followed at a distance.
The abandoned marina looked exactly like the kind of place where people buried secrets.
Broken docks.
Dead lights.
Black water.
I entered an old boathouse.
Michael sat tied to a chair.
Alive.
Barely.
Daniel stood behind him holding a gun.
“Happy birthday.”
I stared at my husband.
“You always did give terrible gifts.”
His smile faded.
“Where’s the ledger?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“With federal agents.”
Daniel’s face changed.
“You stupid bitch.”
I flinched.
Then I forced myself not to retreat.
“Did you marry me for it?”
Daniel laughed.
“At first?”
“Yes.”
The answer hurt more than I expected.
“Then what?”
“I actually started liking you.”
“Lucky me.”
“You could have had everything.”
“I had bruises.”
His jaw tightened.
“You made things difficult.”
There it was.
The excuse.
The justification.
The lie abusers told themselves.
Michael groaned.
“Claire.”
Daniel struck him.
“Shut up.”
I looked at Michael.
“Why did he take you?”
Daniel answered.
“My brother developed a conscience.”
Michael lifted his head.
“Tell her.”
Daniel aimed the gun at him.
“Don’t.”
“Tell me what?”
Michael looked directly at me.
“Your mother.”
Daniel hit him again.
But Michael shouted through the blood.
“I WAS THERE!”
My entire body went cold.
“You killed her?”
Michael shook his head.
“No.”
Daniel shouted.
“Stop talking!”
Michael stared at me.
“I helped cover it up.”
“Who killed her?”
Daniel pressed the gun against Michael’s head.
Then lights flooded the boathouse.
“Federal agents!”
Daniel grabbed me.
The gun pressed against my temple.
Everything became chaos.
Agents shouted.
Dad appeared behind them.
Daniel dragged me toward the dock.
“Back off!”
I could feel his breath against my ear.
“You ruined everything.”
“No.”
I whispered.
“You did.”
Then Michael launched himself sideways.
Still tied to the chair.
He slammed into Daniel’s legs.
The gun fired.
I fell.
Daniel stumbled backward.
Then he disappeared over the edge of the dock.
Into the black water.
Agents rushed forward.
I screamed.
Michael lay on the floor.
Blood spread beneath him.
The bullet had struck his side.
Dad reached me.
I grabbed his jacket.
“Daniel.”
Agents searched the water.
Nothing.
No body.
No movement.
No Daniel.
Then Michael grabbed my wrist.
His face was gray.
“Claire.”
I leaned close.
“Who killed my mother?”
Michael struggled to breathe.
Then he whispered:
“My father gave the order.”
I waited.
May you like
Michael’s next words froze me.
“But Daniel was the one driving the car.”
