Chapter 8 - THE HOUSE IN THE DARK
Dad moved first.
He shoved me behind the wall.
Daniel fired.
The bullet struck the doorframe.
Wood exploded.
Evelyn screamed.
Dad pulled us into the bedroom.
“Window.”
We climbed onto the balcony.
Daniel kicked the bedroom door.
Once.
Twice.
The lock broke.
We crossed onto the neighboring roof.
Evelyn nearly slipped.
I caught her.
Below us, headlights appeared.
Federal protection officers had been stationed down the road.
Daniel knew he had seconds.
He stepped onto the balcony.
Gun raised.
“Claire!”
I stopped.
Dad whispered.
“Keep moving.”
Daniel stared at me.
“You think they care about you?”
I said nothing.
“Your father lied to you.”
“Your mother lied to you.”
“Evelyn lied to you.”
“You know who never lied?”
I almost laughed.
“You.”
“Yes.”
I turned.
Even in darkness, I could see the insanity in his eyes.
“You lied from the first day we met.”
“No.”
He smiled.
“I told you exactly who I was.”
“You just wanted to believe something prettier.”
Then he aimed the gun.
Not at me.
At Evelyn.
I moved before thinking.
I slammed into her.
The shot missed.
Dad charged Daniel.
They collided against the railing.
Daniel punched him.
Dad hit back.
Hard.
The gun fell.
I ran toward it.
Daniel saw me.
He kicked Dad away.
Then rushed me.
For years, I had frozen whenever Daniel approached in anger.
Not this time.
I grabbed the gun.
He grabbed my wrist.
We struggled.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
His face twisted.
“You belong to me!”
I drove my knee into his stomach.
He doubled over.
Dad tackled him.
Federal agents flooded the property.
Daniel was pinned to the floor.
Handcuffs closed around his wrists.
He stared at me.
Then he smiled.
“You still don’t know.”
I looked down at him.
“Know what?”
“Why your mother really died.”
Agent Reed pulled him up.
Daniel laughed.
“The ledger wasn’t the only thing Rebecca found.”
Evelyn’s face changed.
Daniel saw it.
“Oh.”
His smile widened.
“You never told Claire.”
I turned toward Evelyn.
“Told me what?”
Daniel was dragged downstairs.
But his laughter followed us.
I stared at Evelyn.
She looked terrified.
“What else did my mother discover?”
Evelyn sat down slowly.
May you like
Then she said:
“A child.”
