Chapter 8 - THE FAMILY THAT NEVER EXISTED
Grace looked at Emma as if the world had split open.
Emma stood completely still.
Then she looked at me.
Then back at Grace.
“My real mom?”
Grace covered her mouth.
Anna closed her eyes.
Emma’s confusion turned into fear.
“You’re my mom?”
Grace stepped closer.
“Yes.”
“Then why did Aunt Anna raise me?”
Grace began crying.
“Because I thought it would keep you safe.”
“You left me.”
The words were quiet.
They hurt more because of that.
Grace stopped.
Emma’s chin trembled.
“Aunt Anna said my mommy died.”
Anna spoke softly.
“I told you that because Grace needed to stay hidden.”
Emma looked at all of us.
“So everybody lied.”
No one had an answer.
She backed away.
“Everybody lies.”
Then she ran into the church hallway.
Grace started after her.
I caught her arm.
“Give her a second.”
Grace turned on me.
“I already gave her seven years.”
“And chasing her while she’s scared won’t give them back.”
Our eyes locked.
Seven years of grief stood between us.
Love was there too.
But love wasn’t enough to erase what had happened.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I thought you wanted me dead.”
“I would have burned this city down to find you.”
“I know that now.”
“Why didn’t you call sooner?”
“Because every time I got close, Raymond found me.”
Grace looked exhausted.
“Two years ago, I tried.”
“I sent you a letter.”
“I never got it.”
“I know.”
“Daniel intercepted it.”
Another betrayal.
Another knife.
Grace wiped her face.
“He has been feeding Raymond information for years.”
I looked toward the doorway where Emma had disappeared.
“What does Victor want after guardianship?”
“Your companies.”
“The trust gives guardians voting authority.”
“Yes.”
“But only if I’m legally incapacitated.”
Grace hesitated.
“That part changed.”
“What?”
“Raymond filed sealed evidence with federal prosecutors.”
I stared at her.
“He’s going to have you arrested.”
“For what?”
“Murder.”
I almost laughed.
“Whose?”
Grace’s face went pale.
“Mine.”
The trap was elegant.
Grace had been legally dead for seven years.
Evidence could be fabricated to suggest I arranged her murder.
If I was charged with killing my wife, custody questions would explode.
If Victor then produced Emma and painted me as dangerous, he could seek temporary guardianship.
And control billions.
I understood now why Raymond had kept Grace hidden.
Her legal death was more valuable than her actual death.
Then a crash came from the hallway.
I ran.
Emma stood near a broken window.
A man in black had grabbed her from outside.
She bit his hand.
He cursed.
I lunged.
The man pulled a knife.
I hit him hard enough to send him into the wall.
Grace grabbed Emma.
Another attacker came through the rear door.
Anna fired.
He dropped.
The church erupted.
Victor had found us.
Again.
We moved through the basement tunnels beneath the old church.
Grace carried Emma.
I led.
Gunfire echoed behind us.
We reached an alley.
Two SUVs waited.
My men split into teams.
I pushed Grace and Emma into the first vehicle.
Anna climbed in.
I took the second.
Then my phone rang.
Victor.
I answered.
“You’re getting repetitive.”
He chuckled.
“You’re getting emotional.”
“Where is Lily?”
“She’s asking for you.”
My jaw clenched.
“Let me hear her.”
A pause.
Then Lily’s voice.
“Daddy?”
“I’m here.”
She started crying.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“I told them I wasn’t scared.”
“You don’t have to be brave right now.”
“Yes, I do.”
Her voice lowered.
“Because Uncle Ray is here.”
My blood turned cold.
Raymond had reached Victor.
Lily whispered quickly.
“They’re moving me.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“Tell me what you see.”
“A big red tower.”
“Train tracks.”
“And water.”
Then someone grabbed the phone.
Victor returned.
“Midnight tomorrow.”
“You sign.”
“You confess.”
“And maybe both daughters go home.”
The line disconnected.
My driver looked at me through the mirror.
“Red tower.”
“Tracks.”
“Water.”
Anna leaned forward from the other vehicle over the radio.
“I know the place.”
I grabbed the handset.
“Where?”
She answered.
“The old Calumet steel mill.”
Grace went silent.
May you like
Then she said something that made me understand this was bigger than kidnapping.
“That’s where Raymond killed your father.”
