Chapter 13: The Second Fire
“Everyone out!””
Dad shoved the basement door open.
Smoke rolled down the stairs.
Lily coughed.
“Dad, where’s Chloe?””
I turned.
She was gone.
“Chloe!””
No answer.
Ethan ran toward the stairs.
“I'll find her.””
Dad grabbed his shoulder.
“No. Stay with us.””
“She went upstairs!””
“I said no.””
Another explosion shook the house.
The ceiling above us groaned.
Marcus pointed toward the back hallway.
“The kitchen exit!””
We rushed through the smoke.
Heat pressed against my face.
The old house seemed to be breathing fire.
I heard Chloe scream.
“Help!””
Ethan tore free from Dad.
“That's Chloe!””
He disappeared into the smoke.
“Ethan!”” Dad shouted.
Marcus grabbed a wet jacket from a chair and wrapped it around his head.
“Stay here.””
He followed Ethan.
Dad looked at me.
“Take Lily outside.””
“But—”
“Now!””
I grabbed Lily's hand.
We stumbled through the back door.
Rain hit my face.
For one second, I could breathe.
Then I realized someone was still inside.
Dad.
I turned.
He was standing in the doorway.
“Dad!””
He looked back at the burning house.
Then he saw something through the upstairs window.
A silhouette.
A man.
Dad's face changed.
“David.””
The figure disappeared.
Dad ran back inside.
I screamed after him.
“Dad!””
Lily grabbed my coat.
“Claire, no!””
I pulled away.
“He's in there.””
“We can't go back!””
Then Ethan burst through the back door carrying Chloe.
Marcus followed.
Ethan dropped Chloe onto the wet grass.
“She’s okay.””
Chloe coughed violently.
I knelt beside her.
“Where’s Dad?””
Ethan looked behind him.
“He went back.””
Marcus cursed.
“I'll get him.””
“No!”” Ethan grabbed his arm.
“The stairs are collapsing.””
A tremendous crash came from inside.
Part of the roof fell.
Flames erupted through the second-floor windows.
Chloe suddenly grabbed my wrist.
“Claire.””
“What?””
Her eyes were wide.
“David didn't start this fire.””
I stared at her.
“Then who did?””
She looked toward the burning house.
“Mom.””
I froze.
“She was upstairs?””
Chloe nodded.
“I saw her.””
Ethan stared at Chloe.
“You're lying.””
“No.””
“You said you didn't know.””
“I lied.””
“Why?””
“Because she told me to.””
Ethan's face hardened.
Chloe pulled something from her pocket.
A small lighter.
I recognized it immediately.
The same silver lighter visible in Lily's recording from twelve years ago.
Chloe held it out.
“Mom gave me this.””
Ethan stared.
“She told me to put it in the kitchen.””
“Why?””
“She said David was coming back.””
Marcus looked toward the house.
“He wanted the evidence.””
Chloe nodded.
“She said if he got it, everyone would go to prison.””
Ethan stepped closer.
“What evidence?””
Chloe looked at me.
“The original insurance policy.””
I shook my head.
“We already found the box.””
“No.””
She pointed toward the burning house.
“There was another box.””
A siren sounded in the distance.
Then another.
Lily looked toward the road.
“Police.””
Marcus stared at the flames.
“Too late.””
A figure appeared at the edge of the woods.
Dad.
He stumbled out of the smoke, coughing.
Ethan ran toward him.
“Dad!””
Dad dropped to his knees.
Ethan caught him.
“Are you hurt?””
Dad shook his head.
“I saw her.””
“Who?””
“Your mother.””
He looked at me.
“She wasn't trying to escape.””
My stomach tightened.
“What was she doing?””
Dad reached into his jacket.
He pulled out a charred piece of paper.
“She was burning something.””
Ethan took it.
The paper was almost destroyed.
But one line remained visible.
*PATIENT: CLAIRE MORGAN*
I stared at it.
“What is that?””
Dad looked at me.
“I don't know.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“I do.””
He pointed at the paper.
“That isn't an insurance record.””
“What is it?””
“A medical record.””
My mouth went dry.
“Why would Mom have my medical record?””
Marcus looked at Dad.
“Because Claire isn't who she thinks she is.””
Before I could respond, a police cruiser screeched to a stop.
Two officers ran toward us.
One shouted:
“Which one of you is Claire Morgan?””
I raised my hand.
The officer looked at the paper.
Then at me.
His expression changed.
“Ma’am, you're going to need to come with us.””
“Why?””
May you like
He swallowed.
“Because we've been looking for you for twenty-four years.””
