Chapter 7 - MY BROTHER'S LAST LIE
“Daniel.”
He pointed the weapon toward the camera.
“I never wanted this.”
“Then put the gun down.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because they have my daughter.”
I froze.
Daniel's daughter had been studying overseas.
“How long?”
“Three days.”
“Who has her?”
“Adrian's people.”
Adrian shouted:
“That's a lie!”
Daniel looked toward him through the camera.
“You know it's true.”
I understood.
Adrian had been manipulating Daniel.
But someone had been manipulating Adrian too.
“Daniel,” I said carefully, “what do they want?”
“The trust.”
“Clara's trust.”
He nodded.
“They need Clara to sign.”
Clara stepped forward.
“No.”
Daniel looked at her.
“I don't want you to.”
“Then why are you holding a gun?”
“Because they said they would kill my daughter if I didn't.”
I looked at Adrian.
“You knew?”
Adrian shook his head.
“No.”
For the first time, he looked genuinely confused.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“What?”
He listened.
Then whispered:
“Where?”
He ended the call.
“She's gone.”
Daniel stared.
“What?”
“My people can't find your daughter.”
Daniel lowered the gun.
“Then who has her?”
Nobody answered.
Marcus suddenly shouted through the system.
“Sir!”
“What?”
“We traced the call.”
“To whom?”
“Your mother's phone.”
Everyone turned.
My mother was standing in the hallway.
Her phone was missing.
She looked terrified.
“I didn't take it.”
Then Sienna spoke.
“I did.”
We all turned.
She slowly raised the phone.
“I'm sorry.”
I stared at my sister.
“Sienna?”
She began crying.
“I thought if I helped them, they would leave us alone.”
“Who?”
She whispered:
“Your aunt.”
Margaret stepped backward.
I looked at her.
She smiled.
For the first time, she stopped pretending to be afraid.
“You were always too clever, Julian.”
She reached into her purse.
I stepped toward Clara.
Margaret pulled out a remote.
“Don't.”
Everyone froze.
“What does it control?”
“The gas system.”
Clara's eyes widened.
Margaret smiled.
May you like
“This house has many secrets.”
She pressed the button.
