Chapter 6: The Second Missing Child
Marco moved toward the hallway and signaled for everyone to stay quiet.
The knocking stopped.
Then came the sound of a key entering the front door.
Daniel's face went white.
"How did they get a key?""
Adrian pulled out his pistol.
"Back entrance?""
"Through the kitchen. There's a cellar door.""
Marco checked the hallway.
"Boss, we need to move.""
I stared at the front door.
Vincent's voice came again.
"Adrian, don't make this difficult. I only want to talk to my family.""
Adrian's expression hardened.
"Your family?""
Vincent laughed.
"Come on, nephew. You know I've always considered you a son.""
Adrian raised his voice.
"You spent ten years telling me my sister was dead.""
"And you believed me.""
The lock clicked.
Daniel grabbed my arm.
"Come with me.""
I hesitated.
"What about Adrian?""
"He can handle himself.""
Adrian looked at me.
"Go with Daniel. I'll catch up.""
I didn't want to leave him.
But Marco was already opening the cellar door.
We hurried downstairs.
The cellar was dark and smelled of damp earth.
Daniel switched on a small light.
At the far end was a narrow wooden door leading outside.
He unlocked it.
Then a gunshot exploded upstairs.
I screamed.
Daniel pushed me behind him.
"Keep moving!""
We stepped into the cold air.
The farmhouse stood on a small hill surrounded by trees.
I could hear shouting from inside.
Then another gunshot.
I turned.
"Adrian!""
Daniel grabbed my shoulder.
"If you go back, you'll get yourself killed.""
"But he's helping me!""
"Then don't waste what he's doing!""
We ran toward a small shed.
Daniel opened it and pulled out an old pickup truck.
"Get in.""
I climbed into the passenger seat.
He turned the key.
Nothing.
He tried again.
The engine coughed but refused to start.
A dark SUV appeared at the end of the road.
Daniel cursed.
"They're blocking us.""
I looked toward the farmhouse.
A man in a black jacket emerged from the front door.
He was holding a gun.
Then Adrian appeared behind him.
He struck the man across the back of the head and sent him crashing into the steps.
Marco followed.
He fired two shots into the air.
The men near the SUV scattered.
Adrian ran toward us.
"Wren!""
I jumped out of the truck.
He grabbed my shoulders.
"Are you hurt?""
"No. Are you?""
"Nothing serious.""
A streak of blood ran down his forehead.
I touched it.
"You're bleeding.""
He gave a tired smile.
"Apparently, that keeps happening around you.""
Marco approached.
"Boss, we need to leave. More vehicles are coming.""
Adrian nodded.
Daniel climbed out of the truck.
"There's another way out through the woods.""
We abandoned the pickup and followed him along a narrow path.
Twenty minutes later, we reached a small roadside motel.
Marco arranged two rooms under false names.
Adrian sat on the edge of the bed while a local doctor stitched the cut above his eyebrow.
I stood by the window, watching headlights pass.
When the doctor left, Adrian looked at me.
"You okay?""
I nodded.
"Why does Vincent want me dead?""
Adrian leaned forward.
"Because you're alive.""
"That isn't enough.""
"No. It isn't.""
He opened the metal box Daniel had brought.
Inside were several documents.
One was a birth certificate.
Another was a photograph of a newborn baby.
I looked at it.
"Who is that?""
Daniel stood near the door.
"That's the second child.""
Adrian examined the certificate.
The baby's name was listed as Alexander Whitmore.
Mother: Margaret Whitmore.
Father: Thomas Whitmore.
But a handwritten note at the bottom had been crossed out.
Adrian read it aloud.
"Biological father disputed.""
He looked at Daniel.
"Why would my mother have another child with Thomas if she was involved with Vincent?""
Daniel sighed.
"Because Margaret was pregnant before she married Thomas. The child was Vincent's. But she convinced Thomas to raise him as his own.""
Adrian went completely still.
"Who was the child?""
Daniel didn't answer.
Instead, he placed another photograph on the table.
It showed three boys standing in front of a school.
One was Adrian as a child.
The second was a younger boy with blond hair.
The third was Vincent's son, standing between them.
Adrian stared at the photograph.
"That's Alexander.""
Daniel nodded.
"He grew up under a different name.""
"Which name?""
Daniel looked at him.
"Marco.""
The room became completely silent.
I turned toward the door.
Marco stood there.
His face had lost all color.
"What?""
Adrian slowly rose.
"Daniel, explain.""
Daniel pointed at Marco.
"Vincent had him raised as his nephew. He was told his father died when he was a baby. But his real father was Vincent Kane.""
Marco shook his head.
"That's impossible.""
Daniel opened another envelope.
Inside was a DNA report.
He placed it on the table.
"Your mother was Margaret Whitmore. Your father was Vincent Kane.""
Marco stared at the report.
Then he looked at Adrian.
"Boss...""
Adrian said nothing.
Marco backed away.
"All these years...""
His voice broke.
"My entire life...""
I approached him carefully.
"Marco?""
He looked at me.
"I grew up believing Vincent was my uncle. He paid for my education. He gave me my first job. He introduced me to Adrian.""
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"Did you know?""
"No.""
"Are you sure?""
Marco's jaw tightened.
"On my mother's grave.""
Daniel interrupted.
"There's more.""
He removed a final photograph from the box.
It showed Margaret holding a baby outside St. Vincent's Hospital.
Standing beside her was Vincent.
But in the background, barely visible through a window, was Thomas Whitmore.
He was alive.
And he was holding a second baby.
I stared at the photograph.
"Why are there two babies?""
Daniel closed his eyes.
"Because the second child wasn't Margaret's.""
Adrian frowned.
"Then whose?""
Daniel looked directly at me.
"Your father's.""
I felt my stomach drop.
"That doesn't make sense.""
"Thomas had a daughter before he married Margaret. He kept her existence secret because he believed Margaret would use her to control him.""
Adrian picked up the photograph.
"Where is she now?""
Daniel's voice trembled.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you.""
He pointed at the second baby.
"Your father had another daughter. And Vincent stole her from the hospital the same night he took Isabella.""
I looked at Adrian.
"Who was she?""
Daniel reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded letter.
The handwriting was unmistakably my father's.
He handed it to me.
I unfolded it.
My dearest daughters,
If you ever read this, know that I never abandoned either of you.
My eyes blurred.
I continued reading.
Isabella, I know you will wonder why I couldn't protect you. Forgive me.
And to my other little girl, the one who was born before the fire, I pray you find your sister one day.
I looked up.
"Who is she?""
Daniel swallowed.
"Her name was Rose.""
Adrian stared at him.
"Where is Rose now?""
Daniel pointed toward the final line of the letter.
I read it aloud.
"She was raised by the woman who helped Margaret plan the fire.""
My fingers trembled.
"Who?""
Daniel looked toward Marco.
Then he answered.
"Vincent's wife.""
At that exact moment, Adrian's phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
The caller was listed as UNKNOWN.
He answered.
A woman's voice came through.
"Adrian Kane?""
"Who is this?""
"My name is Rose.""
I stopped breathing.
The woman continued.
"I believe we've been looking for each other.""
Adrian glanced at me.
"How do you know about Isabella?""
There was a long pause.
Then the woman whispered:
"Because I'm the one who watched your uncle burn the mansion.""
A sharp breath escaped my lips.
"Rose?""
The woman heard me.
Her voice broke.
"Isabella, sweetheart...""
Then she said something that made my blood run cold.
"Your father is alive. And he's been standing beside me for the last ten years.""
Adrian dropped into the chair.
Before anyone could speak, the call ended.
A message appeared on his phone.
It contained an address.
May you like
And seven words.
*Come alone, or your father dies tonight.*
