Chapter 6 - THE FIRE
“Take the box.”
James shoved the documents into a backpack.
“Back door.”
We ran.
Dad shouted from outside.
“Clara!”
James pulled me through the kitchen.
A man blocked the back entrance.
James punched him.
The man stumbled.
We sprinted toward the woods.
Then I smelled smoke.
I turned.
Flames were climbing the lake house curtains.
“They’re burning it!”
James grabbed my hand.
“Keep moving!”
A gunshot cracked behind us.
James pushed me behind a tree.
“Stay down!”
Another shot.
Then sirens.
Dad’s men scattered.
A police cruiser appeared at the top of the road.
James had secretly called them before we arrived.
Vanessa stood near the burning house, screaming.
“She started the fire!”
She pointed at me.
“My stepdaughter is disturbed!”
I stared at her.
Dad rushed over.
“Clara, honey, tell me what happened.”
I backed away.
James stepped between us.
“Don’t touch her.”
The police separated everyone.
One officer took the metal box.
Dad watched him carry it away.
For the first time, I saw panic on my father’s face.
But later that night, the evidence disappeared.
The police claimed the box never reached the station.
James exploded.
“That’s impossible!”
The detective shrugged.
“No evidence, no case.”
Dad had bought someone.
Again.
Back home, Vanessa walked into my bedroom.
“You nearly destroyed everything today.”
“You burned Mom’s house.”
She slapped me.
Hard.
My cheek burned.
Then she grabbed my chin.
“You think being Evelyn’s daughter makes you untouchable?”
A voice came from the doorway.
“Take your hand off her.”
Dad.
Vanessa released me.
For half a second, I thought he would protect me.
Then he closed the bedroom door.
And locked it.
Dad looked at Vanessa.
“Not the face.”
My heart shattered.
Vanessa smiled.
May you like
Then Dad turned to me.
“We need to know what you found in that box.”
