Chapter 5: The Photograph
For three seconds, nobody moved.
Milo's hand trembled around the gun.
It looked too large for him.
Too heavy.
Too real.
My mother slowly raised both hands.
“Milo.””
He flinched.
“Don't come closer.””
His voice broke.
I stepped toward him.
“Milo, put it down.””
His eyes met mine.
“Kate, you need to listen to me.””
“I am listening.””
“No. You aren't.””
His gaze shifted to Richard.
“You shouldn't have come here.””
Richard's expression remained strangely calm.
“Milo.””
“Don't call me that.””
Richard frowned.
“That is your name.””
“No.””
Milo's grip tightened.
“That's the name you gave me after you took me.””
My mother looked at him.
“What did he do?””
Milo laughed bitterly.
“You don't know?””
“I swear I don't.””
“You left me.””
“I never left you.””
“You disappeared.””
“I was trying to find you.””
“Eleven years.””
His voice cracked.
“You were gone for eleven years.””
Mom's eyes filled with tears.
“I looked for you every day.””
Milo lowered the gun slightly.
“Then why did you never find me?””
She had no answer.
Richard stepped forward.
“Milo, this isn't helping.””
Milo raised the gun again.
“Stay where you are.””
I moved closer.
“Milo.””
He looked at me.
“You have to trust me.””
“I do.””
“Then give me the gun.””
He shook his head.
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because he's coming.””
“Who?””
Milo glanced toward the street.
“The man who killed my father.””
My mother's face changed.
“Daniel?””
Milo nodded.
I looked at Mom.
“You said he died.””
“I thought he did.””
Milo stared at her.
“He didn't.””
Richard suddenly grabbed Mom's arm.
“Inside. Now.””
She shoved him away.
“Don't touch me.””
A car screeched around the corner.
Milo spun toward it.
“Down!””
He rushed forward and knocked me to the pavement.
A window shattered behind us.
Glass exploded across the sidewalk.
My ears rang.
My mother screamed.
Richard disappeared behind the sedan.
Another shot cracked through the air.
Then silence.
Milo grabbed my hand.
“Run!””
We sprinted through the alley behind the bookstore.
I didn't know where we were going.
I only knew Milo was pulling me forward.
We ducked behind a dumpster.
My heart hammered.
“Milo.””
He was breathing hard.
“Are you okay?””
He nodded.
“Where did you get the gun?””
He looked at it.
“Richard gave it to me.””
“What?””
“He wanted me to think I needed it.””
“You don't.””
“I know.””
He dropped it onto the pavement.
I stared at him.
“Who is after us?””
“My father.””
I swallowed.
“Daniel?””
Milo nodded.
“He's alive.””
“But Richard said he killed him.””
“He lied.””
“Why?””
Milo reached inside his hoodie.
He pulled out a folded photograph.
“I found this in the shelter last week.””
He unfolded it.
The photograph showed Daniel standing outside a hospital.
Beside him was a woman.
And between them were two children.
Me and Milo.
I stared at the picture.
“We were together.””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Three months ago.””
My stomach twisted.
“That's impossible.””
Milo pointed at the woman's face.
“That woman worked for your mother.””
I looked closer.
I recognized her.
She had attended every charity gala my mother hosted.
“She knows where Daniel is.””
Milo nodded.
“And she knows why he came back.””
“Why?””
“Because he wants something.””
“What?””
Milo hesitated.
“You.””
I stared at him.
“Me?””
“He says you're the only thing your mother still cares about.””
I felt cold.
“That's why he came after us?””
“No.””
Milo looked toward the alley entrance.
“He didn't come for you.””
“Then who?””
Milo's eyes filled with fear.
“He came for me.””
A shadow moved across the alley.
We both froze.
Footsteps approached.
Slow.
Measured.
Then a man's voice echoed between the brick walls.
“Milo?””
Milo grabbed my hand.
“Don't answer.””
The footsteps stopped.
The man spoke again.
“You've had enough time to play.””
I knew that voice.
I'd heard it earlier.
Richard.
Milo shook his head.
“That isn't Richard.””
The voice came closer.
And then a man stepped into the alley.
Silver hair.
Dark suit.
A scar beneath his left eye.
He looked exactly like the photograph.
Daniel.
My mother's first husband.
Milo's father.
And my father was standing ten feet away.
May you like
He looked at me and smiled.
“Hello, sweetheart.””
