Chapter 6 - THE SHOT
Julian tackled Elena.
Glass exploded behind them.
The bullet punched through the penthouse window and buried itself in the wall.
“DOWN!”
Marcus’s security team stormed into the room.
Victoria screamed.
The twins began crying in the hallway.
Julian crawled toward Elena.
“You hit?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
Another shot shattered a lamp.
Marcus dragged them behind a stone column.
“Shooter’s across the avenue.”
“Get the boys!”
“Already moving them.”
Victoria grabbed Julian’s sleeve.
“They’re trying to kill her.”
He looked at her.
“You know who?”
“No.”
“Victoria.”
“I don’t!”
A security officer shouted.
“Shooter moving!”
Marcus spoke into his radio.
“Roof team, intercept.”
Then silence.
Long, brutal seconds.
Julian held Elena’s hand without realizing it.
She was shaking violently.
“I remember that sound.”
“What sound?”
“The gunshot.”
He stared.
“From the hospital?”
She closed her eyes.
“No.”
“Then where?”
“The road.”
More memory returned in fragments.
Rain.
Headlights.
Someone screaming.
A baby crying.
Elena whispered, “I wasn’t hit by accident.”
Julian’s stomach tightened.
“What do you remember?”
“A car following me.”
“After the hospital?”
“I think so.”
Victoria sat against the wall.
“No.”
Elena looked at her.
“You were there.”
“I don’t know what you think you remember.”
“You gave me something.”
Victoria shook her head.
Elena pressed her fingers against her temple.
“A blanket.”
Victoria began crying.
“No.”
“A baby blanket.”
Julian stared.
“Why would Victoria give you Claire’s baby?”
Elena’s eyes suddenly opened.
“I wasn’t Claire.”
Julian froze.
“What?”
“I wasn’t the mother.”
Everyone stared at her.
Elena stood slowly.
“I remember carrying the baby out.”
“Who were you?”
“I don’t know.”
She looked at Vale.
He knew.
Julian saw it immediately.
“Tell her.”
Vale looked exhausted.
“Elena Cruz wasn’t your name.”
Elena swallowed.
“What was it?”
Vale said nothing.
Julian stepped toward him.
“What was her name?”
“Anna Bennett.”
Elena stared.
Vale continued.
“Claire’s younger sister.”
Julian felt the entire mystery rearrange itself.
Claire had mentioned a sister once.
Estranged.
Living in Arizona.
He had never met her.
Elena touched her face.
“Anna.”
“Yes.”
“You knew me?”
Vale nodded.
“You came to the hospital after Claire called you.”
Elena’s knees weakened.
Julian caught her.
“She called me?”
Vale spoke quietly.
“She knew someone was following her.”
“Who?”
Vale looked toward Victoria.
But Victoria whispered, “Dad, please don’t say it.”
Julian’s voice became deadly calm.
“Who was following Claire?”
Vale looked at his daughter.
May you like
Then at Julian.
“Victoria.”
