Chapter 12 - FIVE CHILDREN MISSING
Clara’s body went cold.
“Lily was at the estate?”
Victor stared at her.
Mrs. Whitaker answered through the phone.
“Your sister dropped her off twenty minutes ago. She said you had approved it.”
Clara closed her eyes.
Derek.
He knew Clara was busy.
He knew the hearing result.
He had told her sister Clara requested the drop-off.
“Security?”
Victor demanded.
“Two guards unconscious.”
“Cameras?”
“Disabled.”
Clara was already running.
They reached the estate in record time.
The playroom was empty.
One window open.
A chair underneath it.
Mason’s tablet lay on the floor.
Clara picked it up.
A video was paused.
Grant.
He had sent the boys a message.
Want to know what really happened to your mom? Come to the greenhouse. Don’t tell Dad.
Victor punched the wall.
“Damn it!”
Ruiz grabbed his arm.
“Control yourself.”
Clara scanned the room.
Five children.
Grant expected four.
“Lily wasn’t part of his plan.”
Victor looked at her.
“What?”
“She must’ve followed them.”
They checked the greenhouse.
Empty.
But Clara found Lily’s bracelet near the rear door.
Then Ryder’s sneaker outside.
Tracks led toward the woods.
Ruiz called for dogs.
Clara looked at the dark tree line.
“No.”
“What?”
“They know this property better than the police.”
Victor understood.
“The old hunting lodge.”
Mrs. Whitaker shook her head.
“It hasn’t been used in fifteen years.”
“Exactly.”
They ran.
The lodge stood nearly a mile into the woods.
No lights.
No car.
Clara saw movement through a window.
Small movement.
She reached the porch.
Victor grabbed her.
“Wait.”
“My daughter is in there.”
“And my sons.”
They looked at each other.
Neither was willing to wait.
Ruiz whispered, “Back entrance. Thirty seconds.”
They counted.
Twenty-eight.
Twenty-nine.
Clara kicked the front door.
Locked.
Victor slammed his shoulder into it.
Once.
Twice.
The frame cracked.
Inside, Lily screamed.
“Mom!”
Clara hit the door beside him.
It burst open.
Five children huddled in the corner.
Grant stood beside a fireplace.
Gun in hand.
“Stop.”
Victor froze.
Grant looked terrible.
Wet hair.
Bloodshot eyes.
Mud on his clothes.
“You destroyed everything.”
Victor stared at him.
“You did that yourself.”
“No!”
The children flinched.
Grant pointed the gun toward Victor.
“Dad chose you. Elena chose you. The board chose you.”
“You killed her.”
Grant’s hand shook.
“She was going to destroy the family!”
“You mean expose you.”
“She didn’t understand!”
“She understood perfectly.”
Mason suddenly stood.
“You lied to us.”
Grant looked at him.
“Mason, sit down.”
“You said Dad didn’t want us.”
“Sit down.”
“You said Mom died because she made people mad.”
“Mason!”
The boy’s voice broke.
“You made us hate him!”
Grant flinched.
For one second, he looked ashamed.
Then anger returned.
“You’re six. You don’t understand anything.”
Lily stood beside Mason.
“My mom says adults say that when kids understand too much.”
Clara almost laughed despite the gun.
That was absolutely something Lily would say.
Grant turned toward her.
“Quiet.”
“Don’t talk to my daughter.”
Grant swung the gun toward Clara.
Victor moved.
“NO!”
Everything happened at once.
Theo threw a wooden block.
It hit Grant’s hand.
The gun fired.
Glass shattered.
Victor tackled Grant.
Clara ran to the children.
“DOWN!”
Grant fought wildly.
Victor punched him.
Grant grabbed the gun again.
Then Mason, Cole, and Ryder jumped on their uncle together.
Tiny arms.
Tiny fists.
Pure fury.
“GET OFF MY DAD!”
Ruiz stormed through the back door.
“DROP THE WEAPON!”
Grant looked up.
Six officers surrounded him.
His face collapsed.
The gun fell.
Handcuffs clicked.
Clara grabbed Lily.
Her daughter sobbed into her chest.
“I thought you weren’t coming!”
Clara held her so tight it hurt.
“I will always come.”
Across the room, Victor held all four sons.
Mason buried his face against his father.
“Dad?”
“Yes?”
“I don’t hate you.”
Victor closed his eyes.
“I know.”
“I just missed you.”
Victor broke.
He cried openly.
“So did I.”
Outside, police lights flashed through the trees.
For the first time in two years, the Hale boys weren’t running from their grief.
May you like
They were holding onto their father.
But the next morning, Clara received a call that threatened to tear everything apart again.
