Chapter 8 - THE BROTHER IN THE SHADOWS
Daniel walked into the room as if he owned it.
Maybe he believed he did.
“You look like him,” Adrian said.
Daniel’s smile vanished.
“Never say that again.”
Margaret stood.
“Daniel…”
He pointed at her.
“You don’t get to use my name like you raised me.”
“You threatened my children.”
“Your children?”
He laughed.
“I was Henry’s child too.”
Adrian stepped between them.
“Did you kill Claire?”
Daniel looked at him.
“No.”
Madison shifted beside him.
Adrian noticed.
Daniel did too.
Interesting.
“Did Madison?”
Daniel’s eyes moved toward her.
“She was supposed to scare Claire.”
Madison snapped, “Be careful.”
Daniel continued.
“Claire had copies of financial records. She threatened to expose everybody.”
“So what happened?”
Daniel looked at Caleb.
“Ask him.”
Caleb’s knees almost buckled.
Adrian turned.
“What did you do?”
Caleb shook his head violently.
“I didn’t kill her.”
“What did you do?”
“I followed her.”
Natalie stepped closer.
“Why?”
“She was driving to meet a federal investigator.”
Caleb was crying now.
“I begged her to stop.”
Adrian’s fists clenched.
“You were there the night she crashed?”
“Yes.”
The word shattered something.
“For three years you watched me blame myself.”
“I was terrified.”
“Tell me what happened.”
Caleb wiped his face.
“Claire pulled over near Lake Forest.”
“Then?”
“Madison arrived.”
Adrian turned to her.
Madison raised the gun.
“Careful.”
Caleb kept talking.
“They argued.”
“About what?”
“The foundation.”
Daniel interrupted.
“And me.”
Caleb nodded.
“Claire said she was telling Adrian everything.”
Madison shouted at her.
Then Claire drove away.
Adrian’s voice dropped.
“Were her brakes already cut?”
Caleb shook his head.
“No.”
Everyone froze.
“What?”
“The brakes were fine.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“Then how did she crash?”
Caleb looked toward Daniel.
“I don’t know.”
Daniel laughed.
“Yes, you do.”
Caleb suddenly charged him.
The gun fired.
Rachel screamed.
Caleb hit the floor.
Blood spread across his shoulder.
Adrian tackled Madison.
The pistol skidded away.
Daniel ran.
Natalie chased him toward the hall.
“STOP!”
Daniel reached the front doors.
Then Emma shouted:
“That’s the man!”
Rachel stared at her daughter.
“What?”
Emma pointed at Daniel.
“The angry man from the closet.”
Daniel stopped.
Every eye turned toward him.
Emma clutched her rabbit.
“He took the red box.”
Adrian slowly stood.
Daniel looked trapped.
Then Emma said:
“And he was with Grandma.”
Nobody moved.
Margaret’s face turned white.
Adrian looked at his mother.
“What did she just mean?”
May you like
Daniel smiled.
“Now we’re finally getting somewhere.”
