Chapter 12 - THE SHOT
Daniel threw himself forward.
The bullet struck his shoulder.
He fell.
Ruth screamed.
Police stormed the factory.
Charles grabbed Lucy.
He pressed the gun against her neck.
“Back up!”
Marcus entered with his weapon raised.
“Charles.”
“Back up!”
Emma stood frozen.
Lucy was crying.
Daniel bled across the floor.
Ruth slowly raised her hands.
“Charles, look at me.”
“Shut up.”
“You don’t want to hurt her.”
“You don’t know what I want.”
“I know you.”
Charles laughed bitterly.
“No, you don’t.”
“You’re my brother.”
“I spent my entire life watching Dad choose Daniel.”
Daniel looked up.
Charles continued.
“Daniel got the company.”
“Daniel got the trust.”
“Daniel got the family.”
“And what did I get?”
Ruth whispered,
“A choice.”
Charles stared.
“You chose this.”
His face twisted.
Emma suddenly stepped forward.
“Uncle Charles.”
“Emma, no!”
Ruth shouted.
Emma ignored her.
“If you hurt Lucy, you’ll never get Grandpa’s real evidence.”
Charles froze.
“What?”
Emma held up Bunny.
“The ledger isn’t everything.”
Charles stared at the rabbit.
Emma had learned how adults lied.
Now she lied too.
“There’s another recording.”
Charles’s grip loosened.
Lucy felt it.
She bit his hand.
Charles screamed.
Lucy dropped.
Marcus fired.
Charles fell backward.
The gun slid across the floor.
Ruth ran to Lucy.
Emma ran too.
The sisters collided in Ruth’s arms.
Daniel lay bleeding nearby.
Police surrounded Charles.
He was alive.
Barely.
As paramedics carried him away, Charles looked at Daniel.
Then he smiled.
“You still don’t know.”
Daniel frowned.
“Know what?”
May you like
Charles coughed blood.
“Ask Caroline who Emma’s mother really is.”
