Chapter 3 - THE MAN AT THE DOOR
Ava nearly dropped Noah.
Victor grabbed the edge of the table.
Marcus whispered, “Impossible.”
Ava stared at both men.
“You said he disappeared.”
Victor looked toward Crowe.
“Bring him up.”
“No,” Marcus said immediately.
Victor turned.
“No?”
“We verify first.”
Ava’s anger snapped.
“This is my life you’re talking about.”
Marcus looked at her.
“And that’s exactly why you should listen.”
“What aren’t you telling me?”
Marcus stepped closer.
“Daniel Hale disappeared after an explosion at a warehouse in Harbor Point.”
Ava frowned.
“Explosion?”
“Three people died.”
Victor added, “They never found Daniel’s body.”
Ava’s face went cold.
“And my mother?”
Marcus hesitated.
“She disappeared the same night.”
Ava’s heartbeat pounded in her ears.
Before she could speak, someone shouted outside.
Then came the unmistakable sound of a body hitting the wall.
Victor moved first.
Marcus drew a concealed handgun and opened the door.
Ava instinctively turned Noah away.
A gray-haired man staggered into the hallway.
Blood ran from his forehead.
“Victor!”
Three security guards rushed behind him.
Marcus raised the gun.
“Hands!”
The man lifted both hands.
“Marcus, you idiot, look at me.”
Marcus froze.
His weapon lowered slightly.
Victor stepped forward.
The stranger looked older than Victor, thinner, his face scarred along the jaw.
But the resemblance was obvious.
Same eyes.
Same cheekbones.
Same expression.
Victor whispered, “Daniel.”
The man smiled weakly.
“Hello, little brother.”
Victor punched him.
Daniel crashed into the wall.
Ava gasped.
Marcus grabbed Victor.
“Enough!”
Victor shoved him off.
“Twenty-seven years!”
Daniel wiped blood from his mouth.
“I know.”
“You let us think you were dead.”
“I didn’t have a choice.”
“You always had a choice.”
Daniel suddenly looked past Victor.
At Ava.
Everything in his face broke.
Ava held Noah tighter.
Daniel whispered, “Elena.”
Ava’s eyes narrowed.
“My name is Ava.”
Daniel took one step forward.
Marcus blocked him.
Daniel looked at the necklace.
Tears filled his eyes.
“She kept it.”
Ava’s voice shook.
“Who are you?”
Daniel stared at her.
“If Elena told you I was dead, she had a reason.”
“That’s not an answer.”
He nodded.
“No. It isn’t.”
He slowly reached inside his jacket.
Marcus raised the gun again.
“Easy.”
Daniel removed a photograph.
He placed it on the table.
Ava looked down.
Her mother was standing beside a younger Daniel.
Elena looked maybe twenty-two.
Pregnant.
Daniel had one arm around her.
And around his neck hung the same medallion.
Ava’s knees weakened.
“No.”
Daniel’s voice cracked.
“You were born six weeks after that picture.”
Ava looked up.
Daniel whispered, “I’m your father.”
For several seconds nobody moved.
Then Noah began crying.
Daniel stared at the baby.
His face changed again.
“My grandson?”
Ava backed away.
“You don’t get to call him that.”
“Ava—”
“No.”
She pointed toward the door.
“You disappeared for twenty-seven years. My mother worked two jobs. She died thinking I’d be okay alone. You don’t walk into a restaurant and become my father because you brought a photograph.”
Daniel lowered his head.
“You’re right.”
Victor stared at him.
“Why tonight?”
Daniel looked toward the window.
“Because someone finally found Ava.”
Marcus frowned.
“Who?”
May you like
Daniel’s next words silenced the room.
“The same people who killed Elena.”
