Chapter 13 - MARK’S NAME
“No.”
I read it again.
Mark Hale.
My cousin.
The man protecting Lily.
The man who had helped me find Willow Creek.
Sarah grabbed her phone.
“Where is Lily right now?”
My blood went cold.
“With Mark.”
We ran.
I called him.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
I called the safe house officer.
Sarah’s face changed as she listened.
“What?”
She hung up.
“The officer is unconscious.”
My knees nearly buckled.
“Lily?”
“Gone.”
I screamed Mark’s name into my phone as if he could hear me.
Then he called.
I answered instantly.
“Where is she?”
“Emma.”
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
“Where is my daughter?”
“She’s safe.”
“I swear to God—”
“Come alone.”
My heart shattered.
“You knew.”
Silence.
“You knew about Rachel.”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“My father worked security at Willow Creek.”
I remembered Uncle Patrick.
Dead ten years.
Always quiet.
Always angry when Mom visited.
Mark continued.
“Your mother paid him to help get you out.”
“Then why is your name on the list?”
“Because Robert owned him afterward.”
“And you?”
“I inherited his debt.”
“You’re a police officer!”
“So were men far worse than me.”
“Where is Lily?”
He gave me an address.
An abandoned church.
“One hour.”
The call ended.
Sarah grabbed my shoulder.
“You are not going alone.”
“He’ll hurt her.”
“No.”
“He betrayed us.”
“He also led us to Robert.”
That was true.
Why?
Nothing made sense.
At the church, police surrounded the area from a distance.
I entered alone.
Lily sat in the front pew.
Untouched.
Mark stood beside her.
I ran to her.
“Mommy!”
I grabbed her.
Checked her arms.
Her face.
Her neck.
She was okay.
I turned on Mark.
“What is wrong with you?”
He looked exhausted.
“I needed you away from Cross.”
“Robert is in custody.”
“I’m not talking about Robert.”
The church door opened.
Daniel stepped inside.
My blood froze.
“You.”
Daniel frowned.
“Emma?”
Mark raised his weapon.
Not at me.
At Daniel.
“Ask your husband why Robert adopted him.”
Daniel went pale.
“What are you doing?”
Mark looked at me.
“Daniel wasn’t some random baby.”
“Stop.”
“He was Rachel’s first child.”
I stared at him.
“No.”
Mark continued.
“Rachel gave birth at fourteen.”
Daniel backed away.
“Shut up.”
“Robert took the baby.”
Daniel’s voice cracked.
“Shut up!”
“Two years later, he got her pregnant again.”
Me.
I suddenly understood.
Daniel and I shared the same mother.
Rachel.
My husband was my half-brother.
I thought I would vomit.
Daniel shook his head violently.
“No.”
Mark lowered his gun.
“I’m sorry.”
Then he looked at Lily.
“But that means Lily’s DNA is not what Robert thinks.”
I held her tighter.
“What does that mean?”
May you like
Mark pulled a laboratory report from his coat.
“Daniel isn’t Lily’s biological father.”
