Chapter 6 - Margaret’s Choice
Emma woke in the back seat with her wrists tied loosely by a scarf.
Margaret was driving.
Rain beat against the windshield.
“Where are we going?”
Margaret looked at her through the mirror.
“Somewhere safe.”
Emma had heard adults use that word too many times.
Safe.
People always said it before taking her somewhere frightening.
“I want Marcus.”
Margaret’s fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
“He can’t protect you.”
“He said he would.”
“Marcus says many things.”
“He keeps promises.”
Margaret looked away.
Emma recognized that expression.
Guilt.
Her mother had worn it whenever she lied about being tired instead of sick.
“You know my mommy.”
Margaret said nothing.
“You know Daniel too.”
Still nothing.
“My mommy said grown-ups stay quiet when they’re scared.”
Margaret almost smiled.
“She was very clever.”
“Then why are you scared?”
The smile disappeared.
They turned into the abandoned marina.
Old docks stretched into gray water.
A warehouse sat near the shoreline.
Margaret parked.
“Come.”
Emma refused to move.
“Emma.”
“No.”
Margaret opened the rear door.
“I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Everybody says that.”
Something broke across Margaret’s face.
She untied Emma.
“You’re right.”
Emma rubbed her wrists.
“Then why did you take me?”
“Because somebody else will kill Lily if I don’t.”
Emma’s eyes widened.
Margaret took her hand.
“Please.”
Inside the warehouse stood three men.
One wore a dark suit.
Older.
Silver hair.
A scar along his cheek.
Margaret stopped.
“You said no weapons.”
The man smiled.
“And you believed me?”
Emma moved behind Margaret.
The man studied her.
“So this is Daniel’s little miracle.”
“Where’s Vale?” Margaret asked.
“In custody, thanks to Marcus.”
“You said you were getting him out.”
“I said many things.”
Emma tugged Margaret’s coat.
“That man is bad.”
The silver-haired man laughed.
“Smart too.”
Margaret turned toward the door.
Two armed men blocked it.
“You made the delivery.”
“What happens now?”
The man opened a metal case.
Money.
Stacks.
“You disappear.”
Margaret stared.
“And Emma?”
“She comes with me.”
“No.”
The man sighed.
“Margaret.”
“No.”
“You spent nine years helping us.”
“I spent nine years trying to keep the Blackwell children alive.”
“And did an excellent job.”
Emma looked between them.
“You helped Vale?”
Margaret closed her eyes.
The silver-haired man answered for her.
“She told us almost everything.”
Margaret turned.
“Shut up.”
“She told us where Grace went.”
Emma froze.
Grace.
Lily’s mother.
“She told us when Daniel contacted Anna.”
“Stop.”
“She even helped fake Grace’s funeral.”
Margaret slapped him.
The room became still.
The man touched his cheek.
Then smiled.
“Now that was unfortunate.”
He raised his hand.
One guard struck Margaret.
She fell.
Emma screamed.
The man grabbed Emma’s arm.
“Let her go!”
Margaret tried to rise.
The man kicked her back down.
Emma bit him.
Hard.
He shouted and released her.
She ran.
Gunfire cracked behind her.
Emma dove behind crates.
Another shot.
Then—
Glass shattered above.
A black-clad security officer dropped through the skylight.
Chaos erupted.
Marcus’s team.
Emma covered her ears.
Men shouted.
Gunshots.
She crawled farther behind the crates.
Then a familiar voice thundered through the warehouse.
“Emma!”
Marcus.
She ran toward the sound.
He appeared from behind a steel column.
Emma threw herself into him.
He lifted her.
“I’ve got you.”
She buried her face against his shoulder.
“You came.”
“Always.”
Behind him, Nathan’s team secured the armed men.
Margaret lay on the floor.
Blood darkened her side.
Marcus handed Emma to another guard and approached her.
Margaret looked up.
“Grace was right.”
Marcus stared down at her.
“About what?”
“You shouldn’t trust me.”
His expression was colder than Emma had ever seen.
“Why?”
Margaret coughed.
“Your father found out I helped Daniel.”
“And?”
“He threatened my son.”
Marcus froze.
“I didn’t know you had a son.”
“No one did.”
“Where is he?”
“Dead.”
Silence.
“Vale killed him anyway.”
Margaret laughed bitterly.
“I betrayed all of you for nothing.”
Marcus crouched.
“Grace?”
“Alive when I last saw her.”
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“Who took her?”
Margaret looked toward the silver-haired man being forced to his knees by security.
“Him.”
Marcus turned.
The man smiled.
“Hello, Marcus.”
“Name.”
“Victor Kane.”
Nathan checked his phone.
“No records.”
Victor laughed.
“There wouldn’t be.”
Marcus walked toward him.
“You worked for my father?”
“No.”
“Vale?”
“Occasionally.”
“Who do you work for?”
Victor looked at Emma.
“That depends who’s paying.”
Marcus punched him.
Hard.
Victor fell sideways.
Nathan did not interfere.
“Where is Grace?”
Victor spit blood.
“You really loved her.”
Marcus grabbed his collar.
“Where?”
“Closer than you think.”
Another punch.
Emma turned away.
A guard shielded her view.
Victor laughed again.
“Your father used to hit harder.”
Marcus stopped.
“Charles hired you.”
“Yes.”
“To do what?”
“Clean problems.”
“Daniel?”
“Problem.”
“Anna?”
“Problem.”
“Grace?”
Victor’s smile widened.
“Big problem.”
Marcus’s hands curled.
“What did you do to her?”
“We made the world believe she died.”
“Where is she?”
Victor leaned closer.
“She escaped us last month.”
Marcus froze.
“What?”
“She’s been running.”
“From whom?”
“From everyone.”
“Why didn’t she come home?”
Victor looked toward Emma.
“Because she learned who really ordered the operation.”
Marcus stared.
“Dad.”
“No.”
For the second time, the story shifted.
“Vale?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Victor’s eyes glittered.
“Ask Daniel.”
Marcus hit him again.
Victor collapsed unconscious.
Margaret called weakly.
“Marcus.”
He approached.
“Don’t let him manipulate you.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
Margaret struggled for breath.
“Your father funded Vale.”
“I know.”
“But after Daniel found the files… Charles wanted out.”
Marcus frowned.
“What?”
“He realized Vale had gone too far.”
“That sounds nothing like my father.”
“People are complicated before they die.”
Margaret grimaced.
“Charles planned to give Daniel the evidence.”
“Then why was Daniel shot?”
“Because someone else learned about the meeting.”
“Who?”
Margaret’s eyes filled with tears.
“Grace.”
Marcus stared.
“No.”
“She didn’t order it.”
“Then what are you saying?”
“She told someone.”
“Who?”
Margaret closed her eyes.
“Her mother.”
Marcus went still.
“Grace’s mother died when she was young.”
Margaret slowly shook her head.
“No.”
Emma listened.
Everything adults had told her seemed to have another truth underneath.
Marcus whispered, “Who is Grace’s mother?”
Margaret opened her eyes.
“Eleanor Sullivan.”
Anna’s mother too.
“Yes.”
“Where is she?”
“Alive.”
Marcus looked stunned.
Margaret continued.
“And she’s the one who started all of this.”
Sirens approached.
Someone had finally called police.
Marcus stood.
“Take Margaret to the hospital.”
Nathan nodded.
Emma pulled Marcus’s sleeve.
“Is Lily okay?”
“She’s waiting for you.”
“Are you mad at me?”
Marcus looked shocked.
“For what?”
“Getting taken.”
He crouched immediately.
“No.”
“Aunt Karen always got mad when I caused trouble.”
“You didn’t cause this.”
Emma studied him.
“Are you my uncle?”
Marcus paused.
The DNA results had arrived earlier.
Nathan had shown him on the drive.
Probability of Daniel Blackwell being Emma’s biological father:
99.998 percent.
Marcus nodded.
“Yes.”
Emma stared.
“So Lily really is my cousin?”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“She said sister.”
Marcus almost smiled too.
“You can negotiate that with her.”
Emma wrapped her arms around him.
He hesitated only a second before hugging her.
Then Nathan approached.
“Marcus.”
“What?”
“The hospital called.”
“Daniel?”
“He woke up.”
“And?”
“He heard Eleanor Sullivan’s name.”
Marcus stood.
Nathan’s expression was troubled.
“He says he knows where she is.”
“Where?”
Nathan looked toward Lake Michigan.
“He says she owns an estate across the water in Michigan.”
“And Grace?”
“Daniel thinks she went there.”
Marcus looked at Emma.
Then at the rain beyond the warehouse doors.
The woman everyone thought had been dead for decades might be alive.
And his wife might be with her.
But Nathan wasn’t finished.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
“Daniel says Eleanor Sullivan isn’t Grace’s mother.”
Marcus stared at him.
“Then who is she?”
May you like
Nathan answered quietly.
“Charles Blackwell’s first wife.”
