Chapter 9 - THE CHOICE
“Put the gun down.”
My voice was steady.
Kareen laughed.
“You always were your father's son.”
She pushed Lily behind her.
Alora stood beside me.
“I won't let you hurt her.”
Kareen raised the weapon.
“Then tell the police to leave.”
“No.”
“Then someone dies.”
Lily stared at me.
She wasn't crying.
She was strangely calm.
“Are you my brother?”
I swallowed.
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“Mommy said you would come.”
My heart broke.
“Your mother was right.”
Kareen suddenly grabbed Lily.
“Enough.”
I stepped forward.
“You don't have to do this.”
“You don't understand.”
“I understand perfectly.”
“You think this is about money.”
“It isn't.”
Her eyes flickered.
“It never was.”
She lowered the gun slightly.
“My father left evidence against you.”
“Yes.”
“You've spent thirty years destroying everyone who could expose you.”
“Yes.”
“But you never destroyed Lily.”
Kareen smiled.
“Because I couldn't find her.”
“And now?”
“I can.”
She raised the gun again.
“Because you brought her to me.”
I looked at Mara.
She subtly nodded.
The police were surrounding the house.
Kareen didn't know.
I kept talking.
“You killed Clara.”
“No.”
“You killed my father.”
“No.”
“You destroyed Victor's family.”
Her expression changed.
“You've been listening.”
“I know everything.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You know fragments.”
Then she whispered:
“Your father killed Clara.”
I froze.
“What?”
“He discovered she was going to expose him.”
“That's a lie.”
“Ask Evelyn.”
“She told me you killed her.”
Kareen laughed.
“She believed what I wanted her to believe.”
I looked at Alora.
She was staring at Kareen.
Then Kareen said:
“Your wife knows.”
I turned.
“Alora?”
Her face crumpled.
“I didn't know the truth.”
“What truth?”
“My father was there.”
“During Clara's death?”
“Yes.”
I stepped backward.
Everything became confusing.
Kareen smiled.
“Your family destroyed itself long before I touched it.”
Then Lily suddenly screamed.
“Run!”
She bit Kareen's hand.
The gun fell.
Alora kicked it away.
Police stormed the room.
Kareen was tackled.
Lily ran directly toward me.
I caught her.
She wrapped her arms around my waist.
I held her tightly.
For the first time in thirty years, I knew what it felt like to find something I never knew I had lost.
My sister.
Then I heard a gunshot.
Everyone froze.
Kareen had grabbed another weapon from beneath her coat.
She fired toward the ceiling.
“STOP!”
Police surrounded her.
She finally dropped the gun.
But before they handcuffed her, she looked directly at me.
“You still don't know who killed your father.”
I stared at her.
She smiled.
May you like
“Ask Alora.”
Alora went pale.
